We Are What We Are
by Steffx621
Summary: "The heart wants what it wants. There's no logic to these things. You meet someone and you fall in love and that's that." It had been something like that for Logan and Veronica —always. The pull between them too strong to ever be broken. First LoVe fic. Set post S3.
1. Chapter One - We Are What We Are

**Summary :**"The heart wants what it wants. There's no logic to these things. You meet someone and you fall in love and that's that." It had been something like that for Logan and Veronica —always. The pull between them too strong to ever be broken. First LoVe fic. Set post S3.

**Author's Note : **Helloo! So I guess this happens when one can't wait for a movie to premier quickly enough. Seriously folks, Spring 2014 cannot come soon enough!

Onto the story, let me preface by saying this is my very first attempt at writing LoVe, so I apologize for any OOC behavior. Needlessly to say I love those two with all my heart, and the hopes are high for them in the movie :) This started out as an attempt to a one-shot, but got progressively longer and longer. We'll see how many chapters it'd be in the end. Overall, we start with them at the beginning of their sophomore year in College, and on we go with their lives. It's a happy enough story because I honestly couldn't bring myself to write them apart nor with other people, so in the end you'll be the judge on this. Thank you so much for reading!

**We Are What We Are**

* * *

It had been three months since the last time she had been in town. Three whole months. Ninety one days to be exact. She had been gone for a while, but she hadn't been able to stay gone for good. It sure was hard to leave a town like Neptune behind. Or at least she thought so.

Veronica had done her very best to block everything coming from Neptune during the last several weeks. She'd spoken to her Dad, she'd spoken to her friends, but it was like that old saying said '_Don't ask, don't tell'…_

Nobody had told her anything about Neptune in the last months. Almost nothing at all. So in truth, Veronica was coming home in the dark. All she knew was that her dad hadn't won the elections. Not a shocker per se, but it was still a thought enough to form a big lump in her throat. Did she really ruin her father's career?

Just thinking about it made her shiver. How could she be so reckless? This time it had gone a tad too far, and even she knew it.

Letting out a small breath, Veronica looked out the window of the car, and ever so slightly, shook her head. Her father would have to wait for now, she thought. She looked sideways to her left, and saw _him _there. Driving the car as if nothing had happened. As if this was just another regular night, he was driving them both back to his hotel room.

The only thing missing was Veronica's hand resting on Logan's thigh as he drove, and then the picture of today would resemble exactly one from the good ole' days…

The reality was far from that though. They were not a couple anymore. They hadn't been one in quite some time already actually, and of course nothing could or was going to happen tonight between them.

But, still…if that were true, then why, oh why, Veronica couldn't help but notice how Logan was turning to look at her a little too often as he drove? She wasn't really looking back at him, but Veronica could swear the last time he shifted his eyes towards her; he smirked and then went back to driving.

Did Logan know something she didn't? Wasn't this just _talking_?

And of course she was being stupid, and playing dumb, it was never just talking with Logan, but…a girl could hope, right?

xxxx

They entered the Grand, and Logan was quick to give one of the valets the keys to the car. Someone opened the door for her, and Veronica got out, watching as Logan got her suitcase from the trunk. But wait, why was he even doing that? Veronica wasn't here to stay —she didn't think so anyway. She was supposed to go home to her Dad _tonight_, Logan knew this, he had even promised to drive her home after they were done talking whatever it was the two of them were supposed to talk about.

But now he had her suitcase, and the two of them were walking side by side in the direction of his suite. Why couldn't she say anything, huh? How come she felt as though she couldn't protest at all when Logan placed a hand on the small of her back, huh?

What was wrong with her? Veronica shook her head as they stepped in the elevator, and Logan caught up on that. "You okay?"

Veronica was taken aback; her eyes widened as she looked up at Logan, and for an instant, she just stared at him seriously. "Yeah." She answered at last before nervously biting her lip. What was she doing? Wasn't her life complicated enough as it was? Did she really want to get back on the Logan wagon not a whole hour after coming back home?

He seemed so different though. There was no doubt about that. Logan had changed and Veronica had realized this as soon as she saw him at the airport.

They had actually stayed in touch during the last few months, they'd emailed quite a bit as soon as she left for her internship in Virginia, and then one day he called her on her cellphone at night, and they talked…and talked and talked until it was very late at night. Veronica had known she would be in trouble in the morning when she slept in due to going to bed so late, but…for better or worse she had really liked talking to Logan. They weren't even talking about their recent past, or Piz, or hell, the sex tape and all the drama back home. That night they just talked…about random things; like the one time Logan passed out inside the doggy cage at Duncan's once upon a time, or the time they all went to this boat party and Veronica spent the better part of the night throwing up in the little bathroom on the boat, the time they went to this gay parade thing in LA just because, those times a long time ago, when life seemed a little simpler somehow.

After that night, Logan started calling regularly…not _that _often, but it did become a constant in Veronica's routine somehow. She didn't mind, especially because it wasn't as if they were having a '_relationship'_ per se, it was as if she had just gotten a friend to talk to, a person who took her head off the FBI internship and that was great.

Right now however, Veronica was starting to doubt all of Logan's intentions all along. Why in the world he hadn't said a word since he picked her up? He told her they'd go to his place to talk, and that was it. Veronica had barely heard his voice during the last hour and that was beginning to scare her.

And then the elevator door opened, and the two of the walked in the direction of his suite. He opened the door and let her in first. Well, at least he was being a gentle man, she thought. And honestly, that was the last thing she could think about, because before she could even process what was happening, Logan's lips were meeting hers. She froze for a minute, he kissed her, but she didn't know what to do in return.

It took her forever and a day to do something back, he was being sweet and tender, and it took all Veronica had not to melt under his touch. She pushed away from him without kissing him back, but she didn't do it harshly, she just stepped back, and looked up at his eyes. Logan was leaning down and their foreheads were meeting. "What are you doing?" Veronica whispered, before swallowing hard.

"I love you." Logan said back simply, making Veronica catch her breath.

It wasn't as simple though. Ever so slightly, she shook her head and stepped back a little more, losing contact with Logan.

She was about to say something, protest perhaps, but Logan didn't let her. "I'm sincerely sorry for everything I've done to you. I'm sorry for all the times I've messed up, I'm sorry Veronica. I'm just sorry."

She nodded her head at him, but still. "That's all very nice and thoughtful, but that still doesn't make it okay for you to do…_that…"_ And yes, she was completely ignoring the fact that Logan had just declared his love for her one more time, but…no…this had to be business, she couldn't fall for him again. No, that'd be dumb right? That was just what they did, break up, get back together only to break up again, that have got to tell Logan something, no? This thing between them was likely just _not _meant to be.

"I did _that," _He said sarcastically, referring too, to the —_almost_— kiss he had just given her. "Because, I lo—"

Suddenly Veronica started laughing awkwardly, he was going to say it again, he was going to say that he loved her again and she couldn't let that happen. "We've tried being together Logan, we have, but it just doesn't work. Something _always_ happens…" Veronica stated sadly then. For some reason saying those words aloud really hurt her, admitting that hurt her.

Logan shook his head at her words though. "But we keep coming back." Logan's voice had been too soft however, and Veronica didn't really catch what he said.

"What?" She said back, moving only _a little _bit closer to Logan.

"We keep coming back." He repeated, and this time Veronica heard him loud and clear.

And that was the truth, and she couldn't deny it; time and time again she came back to him, and time and time she'd thought this time it would actually work…

Veronica in the end, waited a bit after his words before she tilted her head looking at him right in the eye, and sighed. "You and I just _don't_ work out." Veronica bit her lip as she struggled to say that. She was right though, she thought she was right anyway. _It had never work out with Logan in the long run_, now has it?

Logan wasn't having it though. "I _want _to make it work." He didn't want to be so stupid anymore. He didn't want to let go of the one girl he could possibly see himself spending the rest of his life with. He couldn't picture that with anyone else. Every time he imagined his future, there she was, being a pain in the ass, but being a pain in the ass that was _his…_

"I've done very unforgivable things to you," Logan admitted, his voice low again, but Veronica was listening. She rarely ever saw him being so…open? "I've hurt you, I know that, and I know a sane person would do the right thing and run away from me. I'm trouble. And I'm messed up."

His words made Veronica smile a little; truth was, she was all those things as well. "I am a little messed up myself." She told him looking up at him, still with that little silly smile on her face.

And _that, _her smile alone was enough to make Logan smile slightly as well. He nodded; she _was _indeed a little messed up as well. "I've screwed up so many times, and chances are I'm going to screw it up again, but I still don't want _you_ to run from me. I don't care if everybody else does, I just…I don't want _you _to do it. I don't want to hurt _you_; I want to…I want to be with you. I want to protect you and make you happy. I don't want to hurt you anymore."

Veronica wasn't a saint in this, she knew it, she knew she'd hurt him as well, she knew she'd messed up with Logan a lot as well, she knew she was guilty of not trusting him enough, or lashing out on him when there was no one else to blame. She knew she was guilty on the fall out of their relationship as well, but…maybe it didn't have to be a fall out after all?

"I want to make it work, Veronica," Logan repeated one more time making Veronica meet his eyes. "I want to work at this. I wanna be with you…"

Veronica felt her eyes filling with tears, she wasn't good at this, she wasn't good at this at all. "What if something happens?" Veronica said back at last. She hated herself for saying that because she could tell Logan really believed what he was saying, and feeling it, but…_something _always happened when they were together. What made him think it was going to be different this time?

What he said surprised Veronica a little though. "Something _is _going to happen, Veronica. Lots of things are going to happen. Of course they are. But…that doesn't mean we break up or run away from the other." She felt a little stunned as he said that, but…okay, she was listening. "You said you and I together don't work, right?" Slowly, Veronica nodded her head. "Because we keep breaking up?" Again, she nodded. "Well, do you think you and I doing our own thing works?" This time there was silence after he asked the question. What was she supposed to say to _that_?

She had been with Piz —hell, technically, she was _needed _to have _the _talk with Piz -they haven't spoke at all since she left after finals. But, still...even then Veronica had always known that relationship wasn't epic love story material. Deep inside Veronica always knew the two of them would break up eventually, and somehow that thought never bothered her. On the other hand, thinking about breaking up with Logan whenever they were together _did _bother her…a lot.

And so there was Logan, Logan…well Logan had been with Parker…Veronica guessed they weren't together anymore but still…Logan had been very good when the two of them had been together, hadn't he? He'd been better at school; he'd even thrown her a birthday party and been all-sweet about it. He'd been very well while he was with Parker…

So maybe Logan wasn't the problem, maybe _she_ was the reason why they weren't together. Maybe _she _was too messed up and broken to be in a normal relationship with the boy she loved…

And then it clicked.

_Loved…_

"Logan?"

Logan had been looking at his feet before Veronica called his name. He was almost losing hope and Veronica saw this on his sad eyes. She had something to tell him thought.

"Yeah?"

Come on, it wasn't that hard, it couldn't be so hard to say it, it _was _the truth after all, Veronica could finally see it now. She'd always felt it but was just know realizing how she hadn't wanted to see it before. Truth was, she didn't want to lose him either. "I love you." There, three little words and they were out…she couldn't take it back now, she had said it, and now Logan knew it…

At last.

And now it was his turn to feel stunned and frozen. Did she really say what he thought she'd said? "

"Did you hear me?" Now she was feeling a little nervous herself, but that feeling was soon pushed away by the way slowly Logan started to smile goofily at her.

Their eyes locked, and Veronica let out a breath and shrugged her shoulders slowly. This was_ it_.

The point of no return, she thought.

"I'm going to kiss you now," Logan mustered out, and it was clearly he could hardly contain himself right now. He felt _that _happy; for once in forever…

Veronica in any case didn't protest this time when Logan moved closer to her, and instead she smiled at him as she stood on her tippy toes and their lips came closer together. The kiss was sweet and yet made them both feel so so much. It was also clear in that moment just why it didn't work out with anyone else before; _this_ was right…for one reason or another, this felt right…this was perfect…

xxxx

"You have to promise me you are not going to cheat on me…" God, it was hard to talk when you have a very –_very_— fine looking boy groping and kissing you as if you were the last girl on the planet. Veronica still needed to get a few things across; one of them, the no cheating promise. "Ever Logan. Hey…Did you hear me? Can you promise me that?" She tried to say as he kissed her neck oh-so nicely. Damn, he was _so _good at this.

She didn't think this was a mistake though —she wanted to be here with Logan, she only hope this time it was the charmed and they could actually make it work. She was going against everything she believed —_men are pigs who cannot be trusted_— but…this was Logan, right?

"Logan…" Veronica breathed out one more time as slowly Logan slid her onto the bed, and hovered over her still gently placing kisses all over her lips and neck, and really, everywhere else too. Truth was, Veronica was loving it, but…they needed to talk about this. "We need to talk about this…" She added softly, before she also kissed him on the lips.

Logan smiled against her lips and nodded his head. "Yeah, we have to talk about_ a lot _of things," He admitted stopping for a minute to look into her eyes steadily. "Do you think we can have this moment though?" He asked sweetly, and Veronica nearly melted when he touched her cheek and kissed her softly this time. She'd told him she loved him. Veronica freaking Mars had told him _she _loved him, for the first time and after the two of them had been apart for so long. Logan wasn't really _that _crazy for asking just a small enough moment to enjoy this, right?

Veronica then nodded her head.

Logan nodded as well, and then kept doing what he was doing. She wasn't completely relaxed though and Logan could tell as much. "Veronica," He whispered as he stroked some hair off her face. She had her eyes closed, and even bit on her lip when Logan stopped what he was doing.

She was a little reluctant at first, but after a moment, and after taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and met his. "I love you." He told her seriously, sounding as confident as ever. "I love you, and I swear to you I will _not _cheat. I swear…" Not that he ever had to be honest, but…he wanted to put her at ease, and he knew this would help. Maybe one day she'll be able to trust him blindly, but until that day, Logan was set in proving it to her that she in fact _could_ trust him, and just be happy for Christ's Sake.

And in return to his words, Veronica smiled slightly and again, she offered a small nod of her head before _she _was the one to initiate the kissing again. She was very well aware of what was going to happen tonight, she was aware on the wagon she was jumping on. She was also very hard trying to convince herself that this would be the last time she and Logan would have make up sex…well, at least after an actual break up. God knew there was very little to be done to keep them from fighting —sometimes…

"I just wanna be with you. You believe me? At least that right?"

Veronica couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. She did. The heck with everything, she did believe him, and she hoped and prayed not to be wrong this time. "You'd better. I'd kill you dead if you hurt me again. I promise you that." She told him as seriously as she could before Logan rolled them over on the bed and she let out a fit of chuckles. This was right, right?

At the very least, it _felt _right.

xxxx

It was around one in the morning when Veronica was able to _finally _catch her breath back. She and Logan lay side by side on the bed, the sheets all messy around them, both of them sweaty and slightly panting. Who knew her night was going to turn out this good, huh? "That was…" Veronica started to say but when Logan turned to her and smirked, she'd wish she hadn't say anything.

Was it really _that _obvious that she'd enjoyed herself? They hadn't been together in so long, and Logan had most definitely made up for all of that lost time.

"Admit it, you missed me?" Logan said cockily, and while his statement was truth, Veronica still didn't miss the chance to slap him on the chest.

He faked cried and she rolled her eyes before looking back up at the ceiling and taking in a couple deep breaks. Not in a million years she thought this was how her first night back home was going to go. Sure, when Logan appeared at the airport so adamant about talking and taking her home to him for a while, she'd thought —_briefly, and then hated herself for it_— that they _may _kiss or something. She didn't think —_at all_— that tonight was going to end up with she basically forgiving Logan and getting back together with him.

Logan then looked over at Veronica softly and knew she had gone somewhere inside her mind thinking about who knew what…

He gave her a moment before turning on his side, and lifting up his hand to her face. "Where's your head at?"

She turned on her side as well, and while Logan had to scoot down a little more, their eyes managed to align. Veronica didn't have to say anything, he just knew. "We are doing this, huh?" He asked her, trying to sound playful because deep inside he knew she was just petrified. It was understandable though —after all the baggage they had.

"Yeah…" Veronica replied after a moment, she leaned in a kissed him softly. "You think we should talk now?" Well, they had to talk some time, right? She didn't want to ruin the moment, but…she felt as close to Logan as she hadn't in forever, so maybe now wasn't such a bad time.

Logan gave in and nodded his assent. "What else do you want me to promise you, huh?" That made her smile.

Truth was, if she could ask him to just stay out of trouble; that would be _perfect_. But…she knew how that would sound. It would be as if Logan asked _her _to stay out of trouble. It just wasn't that easy.

"How about if you don't punch anyone in the future?" Even as she said the words aloud she knew _that _too was a lot to ask.

It took them a moment to look at each other in the eyes before both started laughing. "This is hard," Veronica groaned as she scoot closer to Logan, and rested her head on his bare chest. She started moving her finger over his chest in circles and sighed as Logan slightly chuckled and stroked her hair.

He kissed the top of her head strongly after a moment, and that made her smile again. "How about you tell me we are not crazy?"

Logan scoffed. "We are."

Veronica again had to groan. "Ugh!" She said playfully, swatting his chest slightly. "Okay, then tell me we aren't _that _messed up?"

Logan didn't answer. Veronica waited put before turning her head and seeing him right then, looking at her with the silliest smirk on his face. They were _that _messed up.

"What about if I tell you that the heart wants what the heart wants?"

Not so bad, Veronica thought before thoughtfully agreeing with him. "Very poetic."

"Well, I have my talents…"

Oh good God, he did. Veronica wasn't too sure poetry was _his main_ talent, but the boy sure had his charm.

"Do you think about the future sometimes?" This time the loaded question came from Logan. He was serious enough all of a sudden, but Veronica didn't take that as a bad sign or anything. She was quiet for a few moments then too.

Truth was, she had thought _plenty _about the future during the time she was away from Neptune. "I do…" She replied, but her voice was far too quiet.

Logan took a moment or two to form his words after that. "I honestly do want us to be together." He confessed against all he knew, but…he wanted her to know, he wanted to be honest with her.

Veronica nervously smiled as she turned one more time, and positioned herself so that their eyes were meeting. "You mean like _forever_?" She said a tad too sarcastically for Logan's taste. He didn't find it as funny as Veronica did apparently. He just stared at her. She rolled her eyes and let out a breath. "You mean it?"

He simply nodded his head.

"As in really, growing old together and all?"

Logan shrugged his shoulders. "I thought we'd start with just moving in together eventually, but yeah, that too."

That made her laugh but inwardly she was having a little_ bit _of a panic attack. She wanted to keep listening, though. "So you'd thought about our future I see then?"

Again he nodded. "Yeah…while you were gone I had lots of thinking time." He said sounding like a good little schoolboy.

Veronica knew better anyway. "Yeah? Well, how did you even know I was going to take you back?"

Logan shrugged. "Why wouldn't you?" She raised her brows and stared at him surprised at that answer. As far as she knew she really wasn't _that _predictable, was she? After all, she had been really hurt by him, and this hadn't been in her plans at all. "You love me Veronica, remember? You told me as much."

"Oh God," Veronica cried covering her face with her hands, and burying her face on Logan's chest as he mocked her. See, that was why the _L_ word was only used on her father! He didn't give her grief like this! "Cut it out!" She said as Logan kept laughing, and tried to get her to look at him.

"It means a lot you said that though, you know that, right?"

Those words make Veronica finally lift up her face from his chest and her hands. She looked at him guardedly. Did he really just say that? "Does it?"

"Yeah." Logan replied with no hesitation whatsoever.

Veronica took a moment just looking at him and then nodded. "Okay, good…" She admitted meekly, shaking her head a little, as she looked down. Intimacy wasn't easy but maybe it wasn't too bad. "What else did you think about?" She asked then after a few seconds; she kind of needed to change the subject —if only slightly.

Logan made a goofy face as he thought about it. "I don't know, all kinds of things. How eventually we ought to get out of Neptune. The kind of job you'd get, all the ways I'd have to figure out to show your Dad I am not that much of a loser, and actually worthy of his daughter." Veronica interrupted him with a laugh. His words were quite true anyhow —they knew it. Think wining over the daughter was hard? Goodness no, wining over Mr. Mars was the real challenge. "Anyway, I also thought the kind of wedding we'll have—"

"Hooooold, your horses buddy." Veronica interrupted him, this time sounding a tad upset. "What are you talking about?"

Logan was confused. "What did I say?"

"Wedding, Logan?" Dude, they had –_literally_– just gotten back together! And well, fine she had agreed to talk about the future, but was it really necessary to go that far into it?

Logan however, didn't get what the big deal was. "I'm not going to propose to you tomorrow, you know?" Veronica made a strange face. "I'm not, Veronica." He assured her before puffing.

She still was feeling wary about this conversation. "I don't think I want to get married though…"

Now it was Logan who narrowed his eyes. "You mean ever?"

She shrugged her shoulders uneasily. "I don't know. I don't think so." She had seen so much —seriously_, so so much_. Couples who seemingly were _fine _ended with the worst divorces Veronica had seen. She'd seen so many people cheating, and hurting themselves. Fighting over the lamest things on divorces settlements…it just wasn't pretty. And it wasn't as if she thought something like that would happen if she stayed with Logan and one day married him, but…maybe marriage just wasn't her thing. "If we are not married we can't possibly get a divorce, did you know?" She tried to sound cute, and made him smile but it didn't quite work.

She twisted her lips as she thought in a better way to put this out there. "I told you I loved you, didn't I?" And sure enough, that did the job and the boy smiled. Veronica beamed inwardly at her accomplishment. "Well, it's true, and I want to stay with you too Logan…" She told him sweetly as she let her hand stroke his face. She tilted her head and their eyes locked. "But at least right now, at almost 20 years old, I think we can be that without a paper saying we are husband and wife…"

She was serious about this. And to be honest, it did surprise Logan a little. Perhaps it shouldn't, considering this was Veronica Mars he was talking to after all, but…they hadn't actually ever talked about this, so it did come as a little surprise to know she thought that way about marriage. "Have you always been against marriage then?"

Veronica blinked and looked away from him at the question. "Of course not." She admitted after a moment. "But a lot has happened in the last few years, and I can't pretend I haven't seen everything I have…"

Point taken. Logan nodded his head in understanding. Instinctively, he sat up a little on the bed, and reached out cradling Veronica in his arms and hugging her tightly to his chest. "How about rugrats, have you ever thought about that?"

Veronica almost choked at that question. "Logan Echolls!" She choked out sitting up suddenly on the bed and staring at him far too shocked. All the color had drained from her face for sure.

Logan shrugged his shoulders at her, and tried his best not to smile —he was sure she would kill him right then and there if he did. "It was just a question."

"A question?" Veronica's voice was far higher than normal. "What has gotten into you?" She asked him seriously. "Honestly, tell me, where is Logan, and what have you done to him?" She added playfully rolling her eyes. What in the world was happening? "You are not dying are you? You don't have like a year to live and are now trying to make amends and crap, right?" She asked urgently before Logan could even open his mouth to speak.

To her relief however, Logan shook his head. "Nope. Just plain curiosity."

Veronica scrunched up her face looking at him. Yeah, right. "You just asked me if I want to have _children_ Logan. That's more than just curiosity."

"Is it? Nobody told me that." He said hoping to sound smart and cocky, but Veronica wasn't finding him all that amusing right now. "Fine, I don't know Veronica; it really was just a question. You said that about marriage I just thought I'd ask about the rest. Isn't that what couples do?" He asked, and now he was sounding only a little bit uneasy.

Something he said stayed in Veronica's head for another few moments. Holy cow, they were a couple. _A couple _who talked about the future and marriage, and oh shit, even kids…

When did that happen, again?

"I don't really know Logan…" Veronica replied at last. She felt a lot calmer now. She even felt as though she could move back closer to Logan. He looked at her with puppy eyes and she shook her head playfully at him. "What do you want me to tell you?"

"The truth." Even if he wouldn't like it, he still wanted to know what she was thinking. "Do you think one day you and I could have a family and all that?"

Veronica looked down at her hands thinking about it; could she really picture —_right now_— a life with Logan, with a family and all that comes along with that, like he said? "Yeah, I think we could…" She answered honestly and was rewarded with the biggest smile she'd seen in Logan since earlier when she'd told him the _L_ word. That silly face made her smile as well. "Quit smirking." She warned him playfully anyway. "But yeah…one day I suppose it'll be okay to have a real family with kids and a dog and a house and stuff…I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world to settle down, huh?"

Logan shook his head; it kind of sounded pretty awesome to him.

Veronica settled in his arms again and even though she tried she couldn't help the yawn that escaped her mouth. She was exhausted. Logan was stroking the side of her face softly, and that only was making her even sleepier.

He said something then though, but Veronica didn't catch it. She shook her head ever so slightly trying to wake herself up. "What did you say?" She asked him groggily, as she tried to blink away sleep.

"Can I ask you something?"

She raised her eyebrows. "Sure. As long as you don't want me to pop out any little human beings any time soon, sure, shoot!" She said playfully, even though she did mean that. As she was falling asleep she couldn't stop thinking in that _possibility —_she'd never thought about kids to be honest —she wasn't even 20 yet to be honest—, but now, thinking about them, _in the future_, didn't sound _that_ terrible.

Especially when Logan was being so sweet and cute tonight.

What did he want though? "Are you going to tell me what you want?"

Logan was serious, maybe a little too serious. "If we ever _do_ have kids Veronica, I need you to promise me something?"

Veronica felt lost as to where this was going. "Okay…"

"If I _ever _as much as raise my hand to you or any child of our own, I want you to leave. I want you to take him or her and just go. I want you to leave and I want you to never look back—"

"Logan—" Veronica pleaded suddenly feeling a huge knot in her throat.

Logan wasn't having her arguments right now though. "I'm serious."

Yeah, she could tell that. Veronica closed her eyes and shook her head slightly. She couldn't believe they were having this conversation about their future still non-existed children. Why, just why…?

"You are not your father, Logan…" Veronica warned him, looking at him straight in the eye, and telling him this with all the seriousness in the world. He shook his head at her and tried to dismiss her. She wasn't having any of that though; if Logan was stubborn, then Veronica raised it and won hands down the competition. She grabbed his face with both her hands and squared him to her. "You have a temper," Veronica stated, because…well, saying otherwise would just be lying. "But you are also sweet and tender." She added seriously. "Besides Logan, I've seen how overprotective over me you get; I don't even want to imagine how you'll be to any of our kids…"

Logan smiled slightly but that still didn't erase what he thought was just in his genes. His father was abusive and violent —_to keep it simple_—; his grandfather had been abusive and violent as well, what honestly could guarantee Logan, he wasn't going to turn out just like them?

Logan appreciated Veronica's words though. "You said _kids_…" He pointed out, making her narrow her eyes.

She put it together after a moment. "Well, I don't know Logan; you are the one who brought all of this up. Maybe we'll have a child, maybe we'll have a bunch of children, maybe we'll have a soccer team, but I…I just know you'll be a good Dad anyway…to one or to twenty…" She told him softly, but sincerely. She didn't know why exactly but she did believe that. Perhaps it was because of tonight, because of the way Logan had been, because of the way he'd talked, and the things he'd said. A bad person, a future bad parent would never worry about the welfare of imaginary children, right?

"Thank you," Logan said with a small sad smile, before making their foreheads meet. "But I still need you to promise me, Veronica…please…" She shook her head, and looked down from his eyes. "If I ever even threaten to hurt you or a kid, you leave. No questions asked. No second chances. No anything. You just leave, okay?" She still didn't answer. Logan let out a breath and cupped her cheeks making her look up at him. "Promise me?"

Veronica stared at him for a moment or two before she shrugged her shoulders and moved from his grasp. "Fine." She told him sadly, before sighing herself. "That's never going to happen though…" She warned Logan with a pout after a moment. "I promise you whatever you want, but it's not going to happen and _I_ know it…" She told him seriously before leaning in a kissing his lips softly. "I'm going to get some water, want some?" She asked trying to go back to casual. Logan looked back at her kind of stunned. "Look buddy, tonight has been a night full of…_everything_, I think I've promised to be with you forever on top of one day having your little Echolls babies and dump you the moment you want to spank one of them for being little brats…we deserve a break, don't you think?"

The girl had a point. Logan smiled and nodded his head before throwing his head back and breathing out heavily.

It wasn't going to be an easy life…but it _was _going to be a good life…he knew it…

"Love you V…" Logan almost shouted when she was already out of his sight. He wasn't expecting a reply, and yet, a minute or so later, she said so as well…

"You too…" Her voice hadn't carried as loud as his had, but Logan heard her. Oh yes he did.

You know what? Scratch good life…they were going to have a _great _life.

xxxx

Now it was a little past three in the morning. She didn't want to leave, but she had to. She and Logan had actually fallen asleep for an hour or so Veronica guessed. She had woken up thinking in just the _other _man in her life. She needed to see her Dad, and something told her that couldn't wait until tomorrow.

Just as Veronica was thinking in how to gently wake up Logan, he stirred on his own as she sat on the foot of the bed putting back her shoes. "You going somewhere?" Logan asked groggily from the bed.

Veronica smiled apologetically, but nodded her head. "I honestly don't want to," She told him sincerely. "But I have to…"

"Why?" Logan was confused a little.

His simple enough question made Veronica sigh. "My Dad. I have to see him." She explained.

Logan narrowed her eyes as he sat up on the bed. He caught sight of the clock and then looked back at Veronica. "It's three o'clock in the morning. Your Dad is probably happily sleeping. You'll catch him in the morning…" Even as Logan said that, he saw the face Veronica gave him, and he understood. She didn't even have to say a word more. "He's probably awake waiting for you in the living room of your place, right?"

Veronica just nodded her head. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" She said, as she stood up from the bed and walked closer to Logan. She got to plant a kiss to his lips before he pushed her away slightly.

"If you're going to your Dad's tonight, I'm taking—"

"You are sleepy Logan, I'd take a cab, it's okay…" Now it was Logan who gave her a look.

"It doesn't matter, I promised you I would take you, then I'll take you…" He said and in truth, Veronica had no chance whatsoever to argue. Before she could say anything, Logan kissed her head, and got out of bed, and started dressing himself.

Less than ten minutes later they were already back in his car and they were driving home. The streets were empty and everything was quiet. Veronica was kind of enjoying that. This time during the ride, she actually did place her hand on Logan's thigh and smiled as he reached down and grabbed her hand into his big own.

"Stop thinking so much. You'll hurt yourself…" Logan tried joking a little, breaking the silence that had settled. He looked over at Veronica briefly and so did she; she didn't say anything at that though. It wasn't as if she could deny it to be honest —but she wasn't ready to admit to anything either.

"It's going to be okay…" Logan promised then, taking a guess on what Veronica might have been thinking.

And truth was, she had needed to hear that, and it truly made her happy Logan had said it…

He didn't say anything else after that though, but instead waited as he knew Veronica still needed to tell him something.

Took her a few minutes, but after a while, she finally started talking. "You heard what happened with my Dad didn't you?" And there it was…

Logan in any case, just nodded his head. Of course he had heard everything about it. Everybody had heard about the future Sherriff tampering with evidence to save daughter. Losing the elections, getting pretty much shamed by everybody again…yeah, he'd heard.

Veronica still needed to tell him her side of the story. She actually felt as though she needed to come clean with Logan. Maybe it was part of that whole growing up thing everybody kept talking to her about. "It was all my fault you know." Logan was about to protest but she didn't let him. "Shush. It is. I…it was my fault, and now I'm just not sure how I can go back home, go back to school and pretend nothing happened." She confessed for the first time that night.

She hadn't told Logan any of that before, but…while she was still in Virginia she had thought about making some changes to her life. Of course now those changes had to involve Logan to some extent, but still in the end she had decisions to make and the clock was ticking. "I've been thinking about transferring schools, you know? I don't even think I wanna keep taking cases…"

"Yeah?"

For some reason Logan didn't even think right then how that could affect their relationship. For one reason or the other, he knew things would fall into place somehow…

"I just don't think I can go back to my old life…" She stated sincerely. "Sure, people at Hearst couldn't care less about me —sans, sex tapes of course," She tried joking, but Logan winced, it was still too soon to joke about that. "But I would know. I know I've single handedly ruined my Dad's career, so how can I look him in the eye and tell him I'm going to just keep doing what I've been doing when it has only proven to bring us more problems than we'd ask for…"

Logan wasn't sure what to say, so he just caressed her face and kissed her on the forehead after he had already parked the car. "You want to know what I think?" She nodded.

"Yeah."

"I think your Dad loves you Veronica, and that's _never_ going to change. No matter what you do or don't..." She knew this, and honestly, that made things more difficult for her. If her Dad had been mad, angry with her for the giant mess she had gotten them into, then maybe she wouldn't be feeling so guilty as she still did.

"I know that," Veronica agreed with him after a moment. "But I still wish there was something I could do to make it better for him…"

Logan's lips formed a thin line and he sighed, before reaching out for Veronica's hand and giving it a small kiss. "I wish there was something I could tell you…"

Veronica smiled slightly at his words. "You don't need to say anything…" She assured him sweetly before turning to look at the apartment building they were parked before. She took a breath before looking back at Logan. "I have to go in now…" She said as she unbuckled her seatbelt. She shared a funny look with Logan before she could step out. "What?"

"Nothing." He said –a damn smirk placed oh-so firmly on his face. Veronica didn't even have to push him to say more, she just made one of _those _faces and then Logan just knew. "I was just going to ask you what time should I come by tomorrow?" Again she made a face —this time she was confused, but not in a bad way. "You know, to go out? I could come over and we could go out for breakfast or something?"

"Breakfast?" Granted, he did look rather cute as he said that, but…breakfast, really? "It's already past three in the morning, are you telling me I should expect you back here in less than four or five hours so we can go out for breakfast?"

Well, if she really wanted the truth, then Logan would have to tell her that he could care less about breakfast, but he just wanted to see her. "Brunch then?"

Veronica laughed slightly and shook her head before leaning in and kissing him for a few seconds. The second they pulled apart and Veronica looked at him, Logan had on his lips that _perfect _smile he did sometimes, and she had no choice but to smile as well. "You're being awfully sweet you know?" Logan didn't answer; he just looked away from her eyes and shrugged his shoulders. "Next I know you'll be bringing me a mix-tape and writing my name on the back of your notebooks, love," She joked and while Logan did laugh with her for a moment, he also turned serious fairly quickly. "What?"

"You want a mix-tape? I can do the mixing?" He said playfully, and tried his very best not to laugh as he said that.

Didn't matter though, less than a minute later, both were laughing at that as well.

Sadly enough, only a few moments later, Veronica was already kissing him goodbye _–this time for real—_ and was stepping out of the car. Logan handed her her suitcase and off Veronica went. She didn't even understand why she was feeling so nervous, this was _home _after all, no? This was her father for Christ's sake. This was the one man in her life she trusted completely, and loved more than anything else in the world. She shouldn't be feeling so wary about walking into this house, right?

In any case, as she eased the door open, as quietly as she could, Veronica couldn't help but smile when she saw her Dad right there on the couch, sleeping away in what looked to be a very uncomfortable position with a magazine on his lap. She bit slightly her lip before smiling and walking in his direction. Maybe she should have just let him sleep but if her Dad had waited for her instead of going to bed, the least Veronica could do was say _hello_. After all, she had indeed not seen this man in a little over three months.

And sure enough, the moment Veronica kissed his head, Keith stirred awake. "You are home…" He croaked out as he sat up a little better on the couch.

Veronica let out a breath as she nodded. "Yeah…" She told him simply with a small smile on her face; in spite of everything, she was _so_ happy to see him.

They stood there in silence for a moment, perhaps even minutes, just looking at each other and both of them thinking in just the right thing to say. When Keith stood from the couch, and he was standing close enough to Veronica to hug her, she honestly felt as though she was seven years old again and had never left home. She looked up to this man so much, that it literally hurt her heart to know she had let him down so much.

This didn't seem to matter to Keith though, since before Veronica could voice any of her feelings, he was actually reaching out and holding her in his arms. She smiled as she also hugged back her father.

"I missed you…" Her voice was had been soft and had almost crack as Keith held onto her tight.

He chuckled quietly at her words. "Missed you too kid." He admitted with a smile as they pulled apart. "We'll talk in the morning, okay? You must be tired." He said before sweetly kissing her forehead.

In all honesty, all Keith had wanted was to see her there, safe and sound before him before actually going to sleep. Now that he had, he could do so in peace. Everything else would have to wait until tomorrow.

Only a moment later Veronica was back in her bedroom; and her dad was in his own as well. She was by herself for once since she stepped back in Neptune, and while on the one hand she was still quite troubled about everything that was to come, another part of her was quite pleased about how tonight had gone. She'd seen her Dad and made sure he was okay, and well…she'd seen Logan, and if tonight was anything how their relationship was going to be from now on, she couldn't deny it looked very promising…

At last, Veronica lay on her bed and closed her eyes. She was indeed exhausted and oh well…tomorrow would be a new day so she'd better rest up.

xxxx

**AN : **So there you go, Chapter One in all its glory! :P Let me know what you think! :)


	2. Chapter Two - Moving Forward

**Author's Note : **So I actually wasn't very concerned about this story until it was already up on the site. Up until now this was my happy story that gave me my fix of LoVe for the time being, but now...well, I think I forgot the kind of fan-base VeronicaMars has. We are used to such good writing, and character development and depth in our characters, that writing about this show becomes all the more difficult I believe. In any case, you guys were very very nice to me and that first chapter, so please know I appreciate it a lot! I truly hope you continue to like it!

**We Are What We Are**

* * *

**Chapter Two - Moving Forward**

It hadn't even been seven am when Veronica heard her Dad was already awake. She still felt so tired, but even when she tried to stay in bed and go back to sleep for just a little while longer, she knew there was a conversation due between them, so she'd better get that over with —not that she was dreading it that much, but still…

"Did you actually sleep?" Veronica commented as she walked into the kitchen, her voice still sounding quite horse from sleep.

Keith turned to look at her for only a moment before turning back to the stove. She looked as though _she _hadn't actually slept. "I slept just fine, honey. What about you?"

He was being sarcastic and not even trying to hide it —she looked like _crap_, she knew it but he didn't have to point it out. His comment made her roll her eyes but she still smiled as she walked to him and kissed him good morning on the cheek.

"At least you made the coffee pops," Veronica attempted to joke as she poured herself some. She sat on the kitchen island holding tightly the warm mug in her hands, and for a few minutes, they were just quiet as she drank her coffee and Keith finished up with breakfast.

"Are you going to wait for me to ask you how it went or are you just going to tell me?" Keith said playfully at last as he put a plate with eggs in front of Veronica. He put one for himself as well as he waited for Veronica to answer.

"It was amazing," Veronica confessed honestly. It had actually been way more than amazing but she would leave the details for a later conversation. If anything the internship in Quantico had finally help her decide what she wanted to do from now on. She loved the FBI, and if in her future it was to be an agent, so be it, but for now, Veronica knew one thing; "I think I'm going to go for Law School," She stated, and patiently waited for her Dad's reaction.

"Huh?"

"You heard me," She said shrugging her shoulders, as she took a bite of the eggs her Dad made. "Criminal Justice would do it for me, I think." She added now hesitating only a little bit.

Keith looked at her intently for a few seconds before he approved —so to say, he just nodded his head with a goofy smile and then went back to eating.

Veronica rolled her eyes and chuckled slightly; that was her father, her roots for Heaven's sake. She couldn't help but sigh with relief though; it was maybe a given that after three months interning in the FBI she would come home wanting more but to be an FBI agent in the future, but…in between the million things Veronica had learned, one of those had been what she was more into, and that lead to thinking, and thinking lead to Law School, and all that lead to here. She was glad Dad approved of it to be honest.

"Dad…" Veronica said after a while, as Keith ate his toast. He looked at her with narrowed eyes; somehow, he knew what was coming. "Are we ever going to talk about…you know?"

Keith put down his toast on the plate and heaved a sigh. "It's over Veronica, and _it's okay_. You are not in trouble with the Kanes, neither I am despite all the fuss that was formed. We are _fine," _He stressed, but his words did nothing for Veronica.

There was something she couldn't get over though. "You are not Sheriff, Dad." And that was wrong.

Keith in any case shrugged off her comment. "Yeah," He said nonchalantly. "And I haven't been for over three years and we have managed just fine." He added making Veronica sunk down on her chair.

She looked down at her plate and shook her head. This wasn't fair. She couldn't even keep the tears from forming in her eyes. "It's not fair." She said through gritted teeth still looking down as she bit strongly her bottom lip.

"Tell me again what the feds made you do all this time?"

Veronica didn't answer but at least looked up from her plate.

"Did you kick ass at all?" Keith insisted in spite of that look Veronica was giving him. They needed to move on and that definitely wasn't going to happen if they kept dwelling on this.

"I did paperwork…and reports, they made me document a bunch of interviews…research…Dad!" No, damn it, she couldn't do it. She didn't want to talk about that, she wanted to talk about what happened.

Keith sighed one more time before standing up and rounding the kitchen island. "What's done is done, Veronica. You _need _to let it go."

Well, apparently, he had, but it wasn't that easy, especially when you know you are the one to blame.

"I don't _need_ to be Sheriff, I do need however, you to be _okay,_ and not worry about this anymore. It happened. We'll pull through, tell me I'm lying when I say we've made it through worse and look at us…" Veronica at this point was almost crying, and if something Keith couldn't take, it was just that. His lips formed a thin uneasy line before he pulled her closer to his chest and kissed the crown of her head. "I love you, honey…"

Veronica could only nod her head; the lump in her throat was too large for her to speak without breaking down. She took a deep breath before looking up at him. "I wish I could be half as good person as you are." She didn't compere, she was selfish, and competitive, and couldn't take no for an answer —and then maybe all those flaws were the reason why they were here right now. If she only learned to let go of things already…

"Half the person I am?" Keith asked then, his voice a little pitched. "Well, sweetie, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you are _not_ getting any taller…no matter how much you may want it…" Keith joked, and thank Goodness it did the job and the two of them laughed —Veronica's laugh was watery but it was still laughter.

"I love you, too…" Veronica told him after a moment with a soft smile on her face.

Keith matched her smile and nodded. "I know…I know…" He said as they just stood there in the middle of the kitchen for a few minutes. Keith didn't mind holding her at all, but after a while, he couldn't take the silence anymore and pulled from her a bit. "So…you made it home late last night…" He pointed out as Veronica slowly looked up at him. "It was like four am…"

"Yeah," She answered letting go of her dad, and cleaning the few tears that had fallen from her eyes to her cheeks.

"Your plane landed like at 10pm…" Keith added after a moment, making Veronica shake her head as she looked over at him; he was looking at her with that fatherly stare that meant he already knew exactly where she'd been, but he still needed _her _to voice it aloud anyway.

"I was at Logan's, I told you…" Veronica told him after a moment, trying to sound nonchalant as she did to clear the table from all the plates and cups from breakfast.

Keith wasn't saying anything, but he was staring down at her all too steadily.

"Dad!" Veronica whined as she put everything in the sink.

"What?" Keith replied feigning innocence. "I was just pointing out something, Veronica." He said simply, but it still made Veronica shake her head and roll her eyes.

"We…we just…talked…" Veronica explained, feeling only a _little _bit annoyed with this.

Especially because Keith wasn't buying it. "Well that's very good." Keith told her all smugly. "Talking is good." He added, as Veronica rinsed out the plates.

She looked over at her Dad and pouted before letting out a breath.

"Are you and Logan back together, honey?" He asked casually ignoring completely the pleading look she was giving him to drop this. But…if he did drop it, then what fun would that be?

Veronica in any case just nodded at the question. Her Dad already knew it; he just wanted to see her squirming as she admit it to it. "We are, Daddy…" She told him just barely looking at him.

"What about…Stosh…?"

Oh Piz…Of course there was still Piz and in all honesty, Veronica was dreading a little that conversation. He was a good guy, a great guy even, but…oh well, as she had been told lately, the heart wants what the heart wants…

"He's great," Veronica stated with a shrug of her shoulders. "And I like him a lot, but…just not in the way I do Logan…" She admitted, and surprisingly enough Keith looked happy enough with that answer. "And I know you don't like Logan as much, I can understand that, but…you are going to _have _to play nice anyway, you understand that?"

Keith rolled his eyes and looked at the ground shaking his head.

Veronica smiled at him but she still needed to get this message across. "I mean it Dad. He's…he's Logan so…it's not going to be easy and pretty all the time, but…I…I _really_ want to be with _him_…" She stated, this time her voice carrying softer.

Keith shifted his eyes so that he was meeting hers and then nodded. "Fine." He told her with a silly frown on his face. "You should bring him over then."

Veronica scoffed at that. "Yeah, right. As if I didn't know how _that_ plays out…" She laughed as she went back to the dishes and started putting them inside the dishwasher.

Keith laughed as well but didn't push it anymore, and instead started helping her passing dishes. It would be a lie to say he was completely happy Veronica was choosing to stay with Logan from all boys, but…if he made her happy then Keith was going to have to get over himself, and at least, try –_read: try_— to play nice with the boy…

xxxx

What was that saying people say all the time? Start anew? Fresh start? Well, that was all _crap_. Simple as that. At least Veronica thought so. There was so not starting over. The things she had done, the people she had hurt, the lies she'd told, all that would always be there and there was no way around it.

So here she was, back at the same school she'd thought she'd get a fresh start a little over a year ago. Oh, if only she'd known things would only get more complicated and messy. Oh well…

Walking through campus Veronica tried not to look directly at people's faces for some reason; she hadn't felt like that in such a long time, it felt strange to do it. Truth was however, that for once she was actually ashamed of the choices she'd made. She didn't want to face people, she didn't want all this to be her reality, but what are you going to do, huh…

And then, out of nowhere Veronica felt someone wrapping its arm around her waist. If only it had been someone she was at least a slightest bit fond of. She tensed under said person's touch and she was sure all the color had drained from her face.

Her breathing increased a little and she got Goosebumps all over her skin when she heard him speak in her ear.

"Word was you were back…"

Veronica swallowed hard, but kept walking in spite of him.

Took then Gory less than a beat to stand before her, and prevent her from walking any further. Veronica took a moment before reluctantly looking up at him. "What do you want?" She asked him sharply at last. She gritted her teeth and didn't think when her hands formed into fists.

"For a person as small as you," He said smugly, looking down at her. "You sure made a lot of people mad…"

"I'm good like that," Veronica answered fast enough as she tried to walk past Gory and get off this situation.

Of course he wasn't one to let her do that so easily though. "You think you are so smart–"

"—Everybody has told me I am my whole life, I doubted it at first, but it's kind of hard not to believe them when they insist so much…" She could see the hatred and displeasure in his features, but even if it were the last thing she did, Veronica was so not going to be one to let this guy step all over her. She'd done that enough. "What about you, has people told you all your life what a fine piece of crap you are?" She was pissing him off, she knew this, but it was hard to stop after keeping all this for herself during the last few months.

"You can joke all you want, but you are in trouble and you know it."

Veronica didn't react to his words —at least not on the outside. God knew deep inside she was scared shitless, but of course, Gory didn't need to know this.

"Was that my cue to ask for mercy?" Veronica asked feigning to be clueless then.

Gory groaned with annoyance as he threw his hands up and turned from Veronica. She kept her eyes steady on him and inwardly prayed for him to just go and leave her alone. Of course that didn't happen though.

Instead before Veronica could make sense completely of what was happening, Gory turned back around, and moved a little too close to her. He pressed his whole body to her, and wrapped her by the waist keeping the bodies and faces as close together as he could.

"Let me go…" Veronica warned him under her breath, trying to loosen his grip on her.

Gory however, wasn't listening, instead he started whispering, and his low voice alone was enough to make Veronica shiver. "If I were you, I'd be scared —Actually, I'd be more than scared. You've messed with the wrong people Veronica Mars…and you are going to regret it."

Oh she did, but there was very little she could do about that now, right?

In the end, after he was done talking, and after giving Veronica one last look full of disgust, Gory let go of her hastily and started walking in the opposite direction from Veronica.

Veronica let out a breath after he was gone, but even then she couldn't help her quivering lip, and Jell-O-like legs. She felt sick to her stomach to be honest.

In any case, as hard as it was, Veronica kept on walking until she reached a bench and sat down there for a few minutes. Gory was pissed, but it wasn't as he could actually do something to her, right? She sure hoped so anyway. She still had leverage on The Castle, and for better or worse, she knew Jake Kane couldn't do anything to hurt her while she had that. But then again, it was _Jake Kane _so she couldn't be completely be sure…

Veronica let out a breath as she looked at everybody passing around; nobody looked familiar though. Never before in her life had she wished so bad to have someone to let this out with. But Wallace still wasn't back from saving the world one little child at the time, and Mac was still somewhere with her family. Veronica could try Parker's and Mac's dorm room, but something told her Parker wasn't going to be so pleased to see her.

And of course there was still Piz, but…well, Veronica knew she needed to have a complete different kind of conversation with him and that so did not involve Russian mob.

She let out a sigh before running her hand through her face. Perhaps she should do that instead of dwelling on her possible soon departure of his world in the hands of Gory Sorokin and whoever else Veronica had managed so well to piss off this time.

Yeah, that sure as hell didn't sound good, so…Piz it was…

xxxxx

The universe however, seemed to have different plans for Veronica that day. Before she even managed to get to the campus dorms to find Piz, yet _another _boy crossed her way. This time it wasn't as unwelcomed as before though. It was the opposite actually. "Hey…" Veronica said to Logan when he reached her.

He was smirking when their eyes met. "Hey," He said back as Veronica tilted her head and smiled at him. "Stopped by your place —you weren't there. I ran into your _father_." Logan told her then, feigning amusement.

Veronica chuckled a little before Logan leaned in a little and gave her _cheek _a small kiss hello. If only slightly, but Veronica did kind of feel a bit better now that she saw Logan. They haven't spoken all day —in spite of last night and how wonderful it had been. And maybe that was part of it, at least it was for Veronica, yesterday had been so amazing, she didn't want it to get ruined.

"What were you doing at my place? And why didn't you call before?" Veronica asked as the two of them started walking in the direction of student hall. Logan placed one of his hands on the small of Veronica's back and while it surprised her a little, she didn't complain about it.

When she looked up at him when he didn't answer right away, she only saw the face he was making. "What?"

"I stopped by, _because, _first, I told you I would last night —yeah," Logan said with a smirk, when Veronica made one of those precious _"Oh"_ faces. "I would've called, –as a matter of fact, I _did _call —several times, but it goes straight to voicemail. See, I'm no PI like you Vee, but that leads me to think you have it off."

Veronica looked up at him innocently and shrugged her shoulders smiling goofily at him. She took her phone out of her purse and checked it only to see it was indeed turned off. "Well, I'd say I don't really have the upper hand on this little game we are playing, but…that's fine, you are winning by 2…but…it's just for now, I promise. I do tend to bounce back, ya know?"

"I _know_," Logan said with a knowing look before they both shared a look and chuckled. "Did you forget I was coming over?"

Veronica looked guilty —truth was she felt guilty…a little bit. "I'm jetlagged?" She tried saying with her nose all scrunched up.

Logan rolled his eyes at her, but he still was smiling. They reached the food court and they both got some dessert before sitting down at one of the tables. "So what have you been up to that made you forget all about this stud?"

Veronica narrowed her eyes at him. "Stud who? Where?" She said mockingly looking around all over the cafeteria. When she looked back at Logan, he didn't look amused. Veronica beamed before taking a small bite from her tiramisu. "I…I actually came to see…Piz, you know…?"

"Oh…" Was all Logan could muster before Veronica shifted her eyes from his. He let out a breath at that. "It doesn't have to be weird…" Logan said, but it was hard even for him to believe his own words.

Veronica looked back at him and shook her head. "Oh, _it's_ awkward…" She stated seriously. "What do you think I was going to tell him, though?"

"Oh, so you haven't seen him yet?" Veronica shook her head slightly at the question. "But I don't know. This is you we are talking about, so it could have been whatever. Maybe you want to do him on the side or something."

"Ha," Veronica said in mock amusement before rolling her eyes. The stupid smile crept to her face soon enough though. "Seriously Logan, I just needed to talk to him. Make sure he really knows where we are standing—"

"And where's that?"

"_We _are together, all right? It's that what you want to hear? You and I, we are together now and considering the way I just left for the summer, I wanna talk to him…make sure he knows it…"

Logan finally looked content with her answer. "Got it," He smirked goofily before out of instinct he took one of her hands into his and gave it a small kiss. "You should do that soon then. It's pretty important." He added mischievously.

"Uh, huh…" Veronica told him shaking her head slightly at him. Logan eyed her tiramisu then and she noticed. "Want some?" She asked him as she too eyed his chocolate cake.

"Nope, not really. You just haven't eaten a lot…that's weird…"

Veronica's smile dropped as he said that, and it wasn't even because of what he said, but the way he said it. As though he knew something was up. "Not that hungry," Veronica said trying to dismiss the comment.

"And now _that_ is even weirder." Logan pointed out. "Are you okay Veronica?" There was something she wasn't telling him and he knew it. There was a part of him that wanted to just drop this, afraid to ruin what they had literally just gotten back, but…if he did that, then things between them were never going to get better, right?

"I'm fin–"

"Don't tell me you are fine," Logan cut her off then. He regretted it though when Veronica gave him one of those looks that could honestly kill. "I mean, you _can _tell me you are fine, if you _really_ are. But…don't lie to me if you are not…"

Veronica didn't say anything; she just stared at him as if he were crazy. She started thinking then in what to tell him back, something that would get her off this easily, but for some reason or another, nothing came to mind. Veronica took in a breath and opened her mouth as though to say something, but the words didn't come out. She really didn't want to lie to Logan, and honestly, telling him she was fine and everything was fine would certainly be a lie. She hadn't told him yet anything about Sorokin and all that mess, so…

No, she couldn't do this. Not now. "I'll see you later, okay Logan." Veronica told him then at last as she was already getting up from the table.

Logan looked at her oddly, as she walked around the table, and even kissed him quickly on the cheek before she just left. She left…she just left…just like that…

Honestly, that was way worse than lying…at least for Logan it was.

xxxx

Veronica sat outside Wallace's and Piz's dorm room for like half an hour or more, mentally –_and almost literally_— kicking herself on the head for being so…stupid, maybe? No that didn't cover it. She was much more than that. She was an idiot, and idiot who was completely unable to open up to the one boy in her life she actually cared about –in a romantic way. She was stupid. And even when her inability to open up was justified somehow —_she'd been through a whole lot of things in her first 20 years of life, she deserved a bit of a break at least, no? _— Veronica still hated herself for running out on Logan —again.

_Again_.

Hell, that was what she did. She was a hypocrite, she expected him to do better, _be _better, and yet she kept doing the very same things that he hated about her.

Veronica rolled her eyes at herself and groaned annoyed before lifting her knees up and burrowing her head there. She closed her eyes shut and shook her head for a few moments before someone tapped the top of her head a couple of times and she looked up startled a little. Too much for her pity party. It was time to face the world…well, not really _the _world, but…Piz…

"Oh hi," Veronica said awkwardly as she picked up her purse from the floor, and got up with Piz's help.

"Hi…how long have you been here?"

Veronica shrugged her shoulders as Piz let her in his room. "Not long. Thought we could talk?" She asked him as he closed the door behind them.

Veronica looked at him steadily for a moment, it had been quite some time since she had last seen him, let alone spoken to him. He looked…okay…not too thrilled to see her, but…okay enough.

"Sure," Piz replied simply. "When did you get back?"

"Only last night." Veronica answered sincerely. "How you've been?" Piz wasn't even trying to look not-pitiful right now. He was sulking, and upset, and while understandable, Veronica wished he wasn't showing it so much. It made things more difficult for her, so why do it, huh?

"I've been good." He said, making Veronica let out a breath. He was acting like a child right now —or so Veronica thought. He thought he was being cool about all this, but instead he was sulking like a five year old who wasn't allowed to go out to play.

Veronica was in no shape or form going to deal with that though. "See, I know you are ups—"

"Why don't you just say what you came to say, Veronica?" He snapped, and in a way, Veronica was even glad about it —there was a person inside him after all.

"Fine," She told him back, cutting short the pretending right then. "I wanted to say I'm sorry —for how things turned out. I…I didn't mean for things to end the way they did." Veronica said honestly for whatever was worth. Piz was listening, so at least that was something. Needlessly to say the last time they spoke back in Neptune it hadn't been pretty. She'd pretty much told him she wasn't ready to be in a relationship right now, and then all about left without letting him put even one word in. It hadn't been pretty, and in all honesty, it had been very douchy of her to do that, but it had happened anyway, so the best she could do now was say she was sorry. And she was. That was the truth.

"I wasn't thinking very clearly then, a lot of things had happened, with my Dad, and Logan…and a million other things you don't even know, but were driving me _crazy_. It wasn't a good moment, and I wasn't in a good place, and I just needed to get the hell out of here, so…I did…but I shouldn't have left things the way I did with you, and I know that. So…I don't know, I just hope you understand, and can…forgive me…" Veronica took a breath after she was done talking. She'd thought about all those words she was going to tell Piz once she finally saw him, and well…she'd done it, and it had been pretty close to what she'd envisioned.

Now she could only hope Piz's reaction to be something close to what she'd imagined it would be.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Veronica urged him softly, when after some well few moments, Piz was still quiet. It was as if he were processing her words, but enough was enough, no? And that sounded harsh, even as she just thought about it. Of course he was hurting, Veronica knew this, but…you gotta do, what you gotta do, no?

"What do you want me to say?" Piz asked rhetorically. He held his stare on Veronica for a moment before shaking his head and looking away. "There's not a whole lot to say, Veronica. You don't feel the same way I feel about you. You love him, so…whatever…"

Veronica narrowed her eyes. "Whatever?"

"Yeah, whatever."

Well, now he was just being rude. And Veronica had even hoped they could go back to be friends. She guessed that was out the window now…

"You know what; I don't really need to do this. I came to talk to you to say I was sorry and I did, I wanted to make things right with you, but…you…well, I —you know what, never mind, I'm just going to get out of your hair now…But I _am _sorry, Piz. You should at least believe that…" Veronica said sounding a tad sad, as she started walking in the door's direction.

Piz's voice stopped her from leaving just yet though. "Are you getting back with him?"

Veronica stopped on her heels, but she didn't turn around to see him. Honestly, right now she couldn't dare look him in the eye.

"Well, are you…?"

"That's not of your business anymore," Veronica answered biting slightly her bottom lip. She closed her eyes softly when Piz spoke again.

"You are then." He stated mostly to himself as Veronica still just stood there. "Good luck Veronica…" He said, and that was the last Veronica heard of him before she just stepped out of that room.

Well, so that went…bad…

_Again_. Jeez, she wasn't getting a break today, now was she?

xxxx

As of right now, it was almost five o'clock in the afternoon, and Veronica had had one goal since getting home from school —squaring her karma. She thought she'd start with Logan —she hadn't been fair to him while he'd been pretty great as of the last few weeks, so yeah, Logan was it.

_Dad's out working late. Wanna come by? I'm cooking dinner. xo V_

That text had been her peace offering, and it truly made Veronica sigh with relief when Logan texted her back with a '_Sure'_ and a smiley face. Leave it to the boy to be simplistic, but it still did the job. He took her up on her offer, and that was a start. He should be proud actually; she usually took at least two days of avoiding him after an argument before even trying to talk to him, so…this was improvement —however small.

But sure enough, the minute Logan walked into her place, Veronica started feeling her walls building up again. She was determined not to let herself shut him out again though. She needed to do this if she really wanted this thing with him to work —and she did, she really did, so…_cowboy up Mars, you need to do this…_

"I'm so sorry Logan," Veronica let out with no warning, when she couldn't take the silly small talk anymore. "I'm sorry I ran, kay? I…It is just…_hard_, okay? It's not easy to suddenly trust you again, so…you gotta be patient with me. Would you?"

Logan knew she was trying, and trying hard, and honestly, he appreciated that a lot. "I will." He answered simply before pulling Veronica into his arms. "I don't want you to feel obligated to tell me everything, but…"

"I _want_ to tell you," Veronica cut him off before Logan could finish his sentence. He looked a little shocked at her admission, but still he nodded when his and Veronica's eyes met.

And so it was then when Veronica came nice and clean with Logan about everything involving The Castle, and the Sorokins, and…even Jake Kane.

"So you are telling me Duncan's Dad is involved with all of this?"

Veronica simply nodded her head.

"That's wild…"

She chuckled at Logan's statement, but it wasn't the funny kind of chuckle. More so, like a pathetic one.

"This is big though, Veronica, you understand that right?" And of course now his protective side was shining, but for once, Veronica didn't mind. Having someone knowing all this, _and_ on her side, didn't feel as the worse thing to be honest.

"I do…" She replied softly at last, but she still couldn't meet his eyes.

It took Logan then only a moment to move his hand to her face, and cup her cheek. "Have you told your dad about this?" He asked almost in a whisper after a beat. Veronica closed her eyes and brought her own hand up to rest upon Logan's. After a small moment she shook her head. "You need to tell him." Logan risked saying then.

Surprising him however, Veronica nodded. _What_? Was she really just agreeing with him? Just like that?

"You are gonna do it?"

At that question, Veronica finally opened her eyes and held them on Logan's for a moment. "I have to." She actually did understand how big this was, and just who would probably want to hurt her somehow, so yeah…she'd tell her dad. On one condition though. "Would you…you know, just _be_ with me? When I tell him?" Veronica asked uncharacteristically soft looking nervously at Logan. She so wasn't one to ask for help, but…maybe a little help every once in a while couldn't be _that_ bad.

Logan was surprised with her words —to say the least, but he still didn't hesitate to nod his head. "Of course. Absolutely. I'm…God, Veronica, I'm here for you. For…whatever…"

"Whatever…" Veronica said back, looking up at Logan with a small smile on her face. Somehow right now _whatever_ actually sounded like the perfect answer.

"Yeah, whatever…" Logan promised her, matching her smile, right before he bent down his head and kissed her lips sweetly.

This was actually it. They were both trying to make it out of this alive _and _together. Somehow that told Veronica things would be —_if only_— a little bit easier now that she had this boy on her side again…

xxxx

After Veronica was content enough with the things she'd confessed to Logan, the rest of the evening was spent more relaxed. They ate dinner together —_she'd actually made some lasagna for him_—, had normal catching up kind of conversations, and then, well…then they started making out. Yup, making out in that way they hadn't in over four months now. More than that really, but that wasn't important. The important thing was that this was actually happening now, and that made her happy.

They were in her bedroom; the lights were dimmed, but not too much. They were on her bed, and Veronica was sitting on his lap, with her arms tangled around his neck. He was so good at this —he really was. Logan had that thing about him that made him…different from all the other boys Veronica had been with. He was passionate about her, he made her feel with every kiss as though she were the most amazing girl in the world, and he would do anything in his power not to let go of her. Right now, she was treasuring that feeling more than anything else.

After several minutes Logan pulled back from her trying to get some air in; Veronica caught a look of his eyes right before he let out a breath of exhaustion and moved his head resting it on Veronica's shoulder.

She giggled at him and brought up her hand to the back of his head. "I've missed you." Veronica confessed quietly then.

Logan didn't reply right away but took a moment of cherishing her words. When he lifted up his head from her shoulder, he still didn't speak, but instead he started caressing her cheek with his hand, and gave her lips one single soft kiss. "I've missed you, too." He told her back sincerely.

They shared a smile before Logan started kissing her one more time. Veronica kissed him back, and didn't even bother to tell him anything when slowly Logan lowered them on the bed. He pressed their foreheads together and a look was shared.

Veronica had three words on the tip of her tongue. It felt weird, feeling as though she actually needed to say the _L_ word to Logan right now. She opened her mouth to speak, but before the words were able to come out, Logan bent down his head slightly and gave her a quick kiss. The last thing in the world he wanted to do was push Veronica, so…it was okay if she wasn't ready to voice her feelings all the time.

She still shook her head slightly at him when their eyes met again. "I love you buddy…"

Logan licked his lips, and at the sound of that couldn't help but close his eyes. He was slightly surprised when Veronica lifted her head from the bed and kissed him sweetly on the lips. "I love you too…" Logan promised back, and then before they knew it, they were kissing again.

They actually stayed in that position for several minutes until —_sadly enough_— they were both startled when her bedroom door was opened. "Shit, Dad!" Veronica cried with annoyance, nearly jumping off of bed at the same as nearly making Logan fall off as well. "The door was shut for a reason!" She added as she wiped her mouth off slightly, and stared pointedly at her Dad.

He surely didn't look happy. He actually looked as though he was about to explode any minute. "Excuse me, but last I heard this is still _my_ home." Keith answered coldly then, glaring in Logan's direction slightly before looking back at Veronica.

"Look Dad—"

"—We were just," Logan tried to talk but Keith waved his hand making him trail off.

"Oh, I know what you were just," He snapped at Logan before shaking his head and shifting his eyes from the two of them. "Look Veronica I am very happy you got back with Logan if that's what you want, but…believe me when I tell you the last thing you want right now is turn out pregnant from–"

Keith stopped himself before saying exactly what he was thinking and feeling, but the damage was done already anyway, and by the way Veronica looked at him —_as if he were a stranger_— he knew he'd messed up.

"From who, huh, Dad?" Veronica was, to say the least, completely pissed off right now, while at the same time Logan was simply standing on the sidelines, feeling oh-so guilty for making these two fight. "From the son of a murderer? A fuck up kid?"

"Veronica—"

"No. You don't get it, do you? You've never even given him a chance," Veronica snapped uneasily before catching Logan out of the corner of her eye. "Where are you going?"

"I…I'm just going to go V…" Logan said softly reaching down and softly touching the tips of her fingers.

Veronica shook her head, looking apologetically at him. She was going to tell him something, but Logan beat her to it. "I apologize Mr. Mars. I'm sorry you had to walk into us like this. I promise it won't happen again." Logan said steadily, even though he wasn't meeting Keith's eyes.

Keith stayed quiet as Logan started walking in the direction of the door. Veronica stood still for only a moment looking at the two of them, she had a decision to make, and suddenly it didn't feel so hard —she simply _wasn't_ going to choose between them. "Logan, wait up!" She called, making him stop walking right as he reached the door. He turned around and their eyes met. "I'm coming with you," Veronica stated before walking quickly to where he was standing. She reached down and grabbed his hand into his, before she looked back to her Dad. "I love you more anything else in the world, but I…I love Logan too, and I refuse to choose between the two of you so I need you, I…I need you to be okay with this, and _accept_ him." Veronica said strongly then.

Logan squeezed her hand as she said that, and she took a breath.

"Can we talk? Alone, for a moment?" Keith asked softly after a moment. Veronica looked up at him and held her stare on his eyes before nodding. She turned to Logan, and he just nodded his head before kissing her head.

Veronica smiled slightly at him. "Wait for me, okay? Please." She asked him with pleading eyes to what Logan could just agree.

"I meant what I said." Her voice was full with emotion, and while it took her a moment to understand just why, she understood it was because this really was big. If anything in the world, Veronica really needed her Dad to accept the boy she loved. "You should've seen your face when you saw me with him…" As she said that Veronica's walls were slowly fading…the look on her dad's face, it hurt her. "But you are wrong hating him Daddy. He's…I just wish you could see him the way I do…" Veronica stated looking down at the floor.

Keith looked at her uneasily for a moment before letting out a breath. "I'm sorry," Keith said, but that didn't mean much for Veronica.

She shook her head at him.

Keith was fast to speak before her after that. "I've never said I hate him–"

"But you don't like him," Veronica fired back quickly.

Keith groaned and threw his hands in the air. "It's not that." He answered, even though he was hating having this conversation with Veronica.

She so wasn't going to drop it until they could manage to agree on something. "Then what?"

"I worry, is all." Keith confessed quietly after a moment.

Veronica was confused —maybe she shouldn't have, but she was. "Why?"

Keith thought hard before answering. At this point he honestly really had to think through his every word in hopes not to make this worse than it already was. "He's just…too tortured I suppose…"

Whom did her Dad think he was talking to, huh? "Have we met?" Veronica asked back. "My name's Veronica,I'm your daughter —In case you haven't noticed, I'm also light years from perky and bubbly…"

"Don't be snarky about this," Keith warned her seriously. "You can't just blame me for wanting you to have a healthy relationship, and be happy—"

"That's what you still don't get. _He _makes me happy," Veronica let out a breath, trying so hard to keep her emotions in check. She ran a hand through her face and continued to take deep breaths.

She and Keith stood in silence for a moment before he got over himself and walked closer to that daughter of his. He thought about it for a moment before just wrapping his arms around Veronica's small frame. "I will try. I promise you that much. I will try to be nice to that boy..." Keith promised before strongly kissing her head.

Veronica looked up at him before letting out a breath. "He's been through so much, and I know that doesn't excuse him for all the bad things he's done, but…it's not like I'm a saint either, Dad…" Veronica tried to explain simply. "And the important thing is that he tries to be better every day, and that he loves me," She tilted her head and looked down as she said that. For once she actually completely believe that. "And I love him too, so please, please don't make him feel as if he's not worth it, cause he is, all his life he's just been told otherwise…"

Keith took in her words, and after a small moment he nodded.

"You are going to play nice?"

Keith nodded his head again at the question.

"I promise I will lock the door in the future," Veronica told him then with a small smile.

It was too soon for jokes though. At least for Keith. He shook his head at her.

"Fine, Dad…" Veronica rolled her eyes as one more time Keith pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head. Maybe deep inside he was just worried he'd lose her to Logan…

Yeah, that sure as hell was a scary thought.

"I will apologize, okay Veronica?" Keith said then, looking down at that goofball daughter of his. "But you stay here okay? Don't leave tonight."

Veronica stuck out her lip as she thought through Keith's words and then nodded. "Logan gets to stay too, though —not to sleep over of course, but he doesn't need to go right this second…" She warned even though she very much knew she was pushing her luck. It honestly was already a lot her Dad was agreeing to apologize with Logan.

He still nodded at her request and let out a long breath. "Let's get this over with then…" He stated dramatically making Veronica smile slightly.

The two of them then walked into the living room where Logan was quietly flipping through the TV. He stood up from the couch the moment Veronica and Keith joined him. "Oh Hello…" He said awkwardly, looking for Veronica's eyes in hopes of some sort of heads-up as to what he was supposed to say.

Keith spoke faster though. "I'm sorry son for my reaction. You are with my daughter now, which means you are part of this family now as well, so…I am sorry for how I reacted…You are welcomed in this house whenever…"

Wow…now that was way more than Veronica would had ever hope of him. She smiled and after looking quickly at Logan, she walked to her Dad and wrapped her arms around him. Now that was the man she loved so much. "Thank you," She whispered so softly Logan didn't even hear her. Keith did and in response, he just nodded his head at her.

Logan was a bit stunned for a moment. Veronica looked at him as she was still hugging Keith. "What in the world did you tell him?" Logan asked confused, squinting at the pair.

Veronica in any case glared at those words. "Don't screw it up now," She said bluntly and while both Keith and Logan widened their eyes at her words, she hadn't been able to help herself. This was going…well now, so instead of questioning it, Logan should just be happy about it…

As she was.

In any case, after a small moment, and after Veronica shot him an expectant look again, Logan spoke. "Oh, I…what I meant to say was…thank you Mr. Mars…" Logan said then correcting himself. Keith reached out his hand and Logan shook it gladly. He couldn't help the boyish smirk on his face right then and while Veronica found it a tad annoying, she still smiled as well.

And so that had been the night her relationship with Logan really took off. It was official, and off the ground, and everything she could have hoped of it.

After that, not everything was perfect or fell into place right away, but eventually it did. Veronica in fact transferred schools that same semester and while that took a lot of trusting from both she and Logan, they made it through the last three years of college and then some.

Logan graduated with an English major, while Veronica got into Law School almost as soon as her undergraduate diploma was given to her. It was in 2010; at age 23 that Veronica finally made her dream of going to Stanford true. She got into Law school there and everything just worked out from there. A Law Firm close to campus hired her during her first year, and Veronica stuck with them until the end of her graduate degree. After that something big actually happened, and while taking her for surprised at first, Veronica had gone with the flow, and for once, _she'd_ followed Logan instead of the other way around.

Up until then, Logan had been working in an aerospace company in Mountain View, California. God's makings or who knows what, but thankfully his office was oh-so close to campus making things with Veronica…easier.

He had an English degree but still for some reason or the other, he'd taken an internship at this company senior year in College and they've liked him enough to keep him —in the finance department. And the most surprising part, Logan was amazing at it. Veronica thought it was mostly because Logan was just _so good_ at managing people that the job suited him. The math on his job were mechanics even a monkey could learn, but everything else was just him. He had a big team under his watch now, and making them do their job was mainly Logan's job, and he was great.

Veronica was proud of him, but most importantly, _he_ was proud of himself for once. He was making someone of himself without his father's name to push him, and that was a lot.

In any case, in _2013_, last year of Law school for Veronica, he got a job offer, and while they both weren't sure about it at first, in the end taking that position had been the best thing.

June 2013 had been the month Veronica and Logan both moved to Australia, and stayed there for some good couple of years. They were on their very own for the first time in their lives, and everything they learned had been priceless. Veronica got to use her degree there, and honestly having the international work experience only made her resume look better once they moved back to the States.

Logan on the other hand, well…if Veronica didn't know better, she'd say his favorite part about Australia was that nobody knew who he was, what he'd done or really, anything about him or them. That had been an amazing feeling for him. Being in a place where nobody knew squat about him, or seriously, even cared. All they cared was how well or how awful he did his job and that was it.

After two years they came back though, but California wasn't the place they came back home to, though. They lived in Chicago after Australia for almost a year, and then Veronica got an offer for an amazing firm in New York, and so it happened. Logan transferred offices through his company, and suddenly Veronica was in the kind of firm she wished she'd be from the moment she decided on becoming a lawyer.

In New York life was a little more hectic, long commutes, lots of traffic, lots of work, but it still worked out and they were happy.

It wasn't until Winter of 2016 that their lives were…_rocked_ a little bit. But certainly not in a bad way.

* * *

**AN : TBC! :) Thank you so much for reading!**


	3. Chapter Three - One More Makes Three

**Author's Note : **So this is my attempt to a sappy/happy/fluffy chapter. Hope you like it. It's LoVe so things are going to happen, but I still wanted to write a chapter like this one. Thank you so so much to all of you who've been reading! Means a lot!

Also guys, _**March 14 - 2014** _- That's all I'm going to say :)

**We Are What We Are**

* * *

**Chapter Three - One More Makes Three**

"Would you please tell me what's wrong with you? Please? What did I do Veronica?"

She rolled her eyes and took a breath before turning from him. She didn't want to get into a fight right now and that was exactly what was going to happen if they kept going with this "_conversation_"

Logan didn't seem too pleased when Veronica ignored him so blatantly though. "Veronica!" He called when she just kept washing the vegetables for dinner.

She puffed and turned around. "Cut. It. Out." She warned staring into Logan's eyes strongly before shaking her head and leaving the kitchen. She was so not doing this right now.

Logan stayed in the kitchen for another moment or two with his jaw ajar just trying to understand that woman. God, she could be a pain in the ass sometimes. He wasn't even sure what he'd done this time. As far as he knew, they've been okay this morning, and then when he picked her up from work she'd been okay as well. It had been somewhere during grocery shopping that she'd been suddenly pissed at him and Logan wasn't so sure what to do with that.

He calmed himself a little bit before walking into their bedroom —Veronica had headed that way after their '_argument'_. She wasn't there though, and that made Logan narrow his eyes. He then saw the bathroom door was closed. "V…" He called, now a whole lot softer, as he walked closer to the bathroom door. "You in there?" He asked needlessly, of course she was there.

Veronica in any case didn't answer; she was quite busy in there actually.

Logan let out an audible breath before sliding down to the floor and sitting down with his back resting against the bathroom's door. They've never had a fight where she'd just lock herself in the bathroom the way he'd seen some girls do in movies…

Oh well, there was a first thing for everything, right?

"You are not planning on staying there forever, right?" Logan called from the other side of the door. Veronica rolled her eyes at him but still didn't say a word. "Because just so you know, you'll starve in there buddy. There isn't so much to eat in there…" He paused thinking. "Well, that unless you think you can survive on toothpaste and mouthwash." He said, actually carrying quite seriously.

Even though she still wasn't talking, Veronica by then was at least listening to what Logan was saying. She slid down the door and sat with her head against it. She figured she'd listen —she didn't have that much else to do in that bathroom for now anyway.

"You know, there was this one time, I might have been six, or seven years old…we were having a _'family dinner'_," Logan was finger quoting in the air as he said that, and while Veronica couldn't see him, she knew that was exactly what he was doing.

"And I don't really remember what went down exactly, but I remember my Dad made me _so_ angry I got up from the table and declared I wasn't hungry anymore even though I was indeed starving." He said, letting out a silly laugh. "That's not the actual funny thing though. Or even the fact that later on my Dad actually didn't let me eat dinner at all, but anyway, the thing was that after I left the table I just went into my room pouting and puffing. I was so mad I didn't want to see any of them, but since my bedroom door didn't lock, I locked myself in the bathroom —just like you right now," He pointed out then with a smile Veronica could clearly hear in his voice. "And while I was in there I kept telling to myself that I could do it. I could just live in the bathroom from now on; it wasn't as if I didn't like toothpaste. I started trying it with my finger and for like an hour I stayed there pondering in how my new life in the bathroom was going to be. Of course soon enough Dad came barging into my room and got me out of there, but…you know, I told you that story so that you realize we are more alike than you think."

Logan could hear Veronica standing up from the floor as he finished speaking. She still wasn't speaking and that drove him a _little _crazy, but he still decided to be patient. He heard the water running after a moment, and then before he could get up from the floor completely, she opened the door and less than a beat later, the two of them were standing before the other. Veronica looked at him with a goofy smile on her face. "Since when do I get a life story just because I needed to pee, huh?"

Logan looked down at her as if she were crazy —and in all fairness, she was indeed quite crazy. Logan then didn't have a chance to answer before Veronica placed one of her hands on his cheek, smiled at him, and then walked away leaving Logan clueless like ever.

He shook his head slightly as he walked after Veronica —_again_…this time back to the kitchen. She went back to what she was doing before as if nothing had happened. "Are you okay Veronica?" Logan asked her one more time. There was concern in his voice, Veronica could tell, but still she didn't get it. Neither did Logan to be honest. He was worried but he couldn't quite place why.

"Yeah, can you please do now what I asked you and finish unpacking the groceries? Stuff is going to go bad if you don't…" She said matter of factly as she kept arranging some veggies.

Logan stared at her confused for another small moment before he shrugged to himself and went to do what he'd been told —_women_…

After that, the evening went almost like normal…they actually managed to eat in peace, they talked, they even joked and neither said a word about the little '_incident'_ of before.

That, until it was time to pick up the dinner plates.

Veronica honestly started fighting because Logan offered to clear the table. "_I can do it, you know?" _Was how the fight started before she yanked a plate from Logan, and at doing so, the plate fell to the hardwood floor breaking in tons of little pieces.

"Why couldn't you just let it go?"

"Why couldn't _you _just let it go?" Logan encountered as he picked up from the floor some of the big pieces of the broken plate.

Veronica didn't say anything to that, but did glare at him as she got from the pantry a small broom and dustpan. She walked to the dining table and knelt on the floor trying to pick up the little pieces of china.

Logan rolled his eyes before yanking from her the broom. "Use the dust buster. You don't wanna cut yourself." He warned as he walked back to the pantry to get out the dust buster.

Veronica growled with frustration and went after him taking back her broom. They were honestly fighting like five year olds, and while she knew it, she couldn't help herself. "Leave me alone, would you?" Veronica asked of Logan annoyingly, as he tried to take the broom back from her. She was being impossible and they both knew it.

"No."

"No?"

"No." Logan answered flatly again. "You are acting so strange and I don't get it. You are crazy if you think I'm just going to leave you alone." He stated making Veronica grow a little bit more upset at him.

She didn't want to do _this_ like this. "You are talking crazy," Veronica told him dismissively, as she finally let go of that stupid broom. "I'm not acting strange or anything —Just leave me alone, Logan."

He wasn't having it. "Nope." He was serious. This wasn't even funny anymore. He wanted to know what was happening. "What did I do? Did I make you upset?"

At that question, Veronica shook her head. "No…"

Well, at least she was answering, and she didn't seem so mad anymore. "Then what is it? Because you can't tell me all is fine when it's clearly not?"

"It is though." She insisted.

"No it's not. You are…pissed at me. You've been all afternoon, and it hasn't been just today, you've been acting crazy for at least a couple of weeks now and I didn't want to say anything but…" Logan trailed off when Veronica offered him a soft smile before she –_wait for it_— walked away from him…again! "You have got to stop doing that!" He told her as he went after her, and after taking a breath, hugged her from behind.

"What's wrong huh?" Logan asked softly into her ear as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

After all these years it really didn't impress her how fast they could go from terribly fighting to love each other more than anything else in the world —which had just been the case. "I think I'm pregnant." Veronica blurted out just like that, before giving Logan a small kiss on the lips.

He didn't move, or say anything, or heck, even blinked for a few moments. In all honesty, Veronica did find that quite amusing. "You are such a dork, you know. Say something dummy."

Logan blinked as he pulled away from her a little, and squared her to him. "What did you just say?"

"From your reaction I'm guessing you heard me just fine."

And he had, he wanted needed her to say it again though. "Are you pregnant?"

Veronica nodded her head slowly once. She shifted her eyes under his gaze for some reason. "I think so. That's what the little test says anyway," She told him sincerely however slightly uneasy, as she pointed him in the direction of their bedroom with her head.

"What the test says?"

"Yeah silly." What was wrong with Logan, he was usually much faster than this. "See, sometimes when girls miss a period," She said goofily, pointing at herself. "They worry they may be pregnant so they go to the store with their significant other," She paused now pointing towards Logan. "And buy a pregnancy test —or three like we did." She told him letting out a breath before she kept going. "And well, then it is supposed to be easy, you just pee on the stick and wait, but…it's not that easy, you know? I made my hands all gross, but I _swear_ I washed them — a lot." She told him clearly disgusted herself. "And well, then nothing, a positive sign came on…which I guess means I'm pregnant…" She explained oh so simply —as if it really wasn't a big deal. "Are you going to say something now?"

Logan stared. Yup, that was what he did. He stared at Veronica for what felt like ages before he let out a heavy breath. "Wait a minute," He said after finally processing everything Veronica said. "You are telling me you just took a pregnancy test in the bathroom?" She simply nodded innocently. "When did you buy the test? When did _we_ buy the test?" She laughed slightly at that.

"Just now at the grocery store, Logan." Veronica explained shaking her head. "You were right there." He made a face at that. "You were. You know what's the thing, though?"

"What?"

"Boys are like programed to ignore us girls when we are in the feminine products aisle…that's why you didn't even notice when I didn't only grab _one_ but…_three_ pregnancy tests buddy…"

Okay, that was a lot of info, but Logan was trying to sink it all in. The more he thought about it however, the more he thought this were great, really, really great news.

"So there's like a little person growing inside of you right now and stuff?" As he said that a huge —_gigantic_– smile made its way to his face and while Veronica tried not to, she couldn't help but match it. He was so cute sometimes.

Before she said anything in return, which she was going to —_she had thought of lots of clever ways to answer that—_ Logan's hand reach out and taking Veronica completely aback, he placed it on her stomach. "Whoa…" She called unconsciously backing away from him. She wasn't even sure why she did that. She looked up at Logan and then they both shared a look of confusion at what she had just done.

"I don't know why I did that…" Veronica said shaking her head a little. "You can…touch…I guess…" She told him with her nose scrunched up. Logan smiled at her as he moved closer to her again.

Logan didn't try to touch her stomach again though. Instead, he just cupped her face and kissed her sweetly. "I love you." He whispered smiling as he kissed her again.

Veronica had always liked that he did that, most of the times when they kissed —_really kissed, not hello, goodbye kind of kisses_— he would smile afterwards. She felt as though it made him genuinely happy to kiss her, and seriously, what could be better from your significant other?

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

Veronica twisted her lips looking up at him. "I dunno…" She told him innocently. "It wasn't as if I hid it from you though. You never asked…" She said smirking, as she grabbed from behind the counter the other two pregnancy tests they bought. She hadn't even hid those, they had been right there in plain sight this whole time, and Logan just hadn't seen it.

"Have those been there the whole time?" Veronica just nodded at his question and Logan made a mental note to get his sight checked. "You could've still told me before," He added with a small shrug of his shoulders.

"We can do it again if you want to." Veronica proposed as she brought her eyes down to read the instructions on the boxes in her hands. She'd bought three different brands in case one was faulty or something. All in all, this could all still be a false alarm, right? "That's why I wasn't going to tell you if you didn't figure it out. I wanted to know for sure before making a big deal out of this. This would be kind of big, you know?" Veronica pointed out needlessly; of course Logan knew just how big this was.

"So we should what? Make you a Doctor's appointment or something, right?"

"I guess...yeah," Veronica said as she walked closer to Logan and let him hold her in his arms. "Logan…" Veronica called after a moment. She kept her eyes down on the pregnancy tests for another few seconds before looking up at him. He was warily looking down at her; she had that look on her face that told one of two things, one, she wanted to do something kinky, or two, she wanted to ask him something weird and awkward…

Logan guessed it'd be the latter. "Yeah?" He was cautious as he answered.

Veronica pulled from him a little bit. "Do _you _want to pee on a stick?"

Logan almost choked with a chuckle at that request. "Are you kidding me?"

Oh no she wasn't. Veronica shook her head right away. "Come on, do it. You'll do one and I'll do the other. That way we'll know one way or the other if the first test was right or wrong…" Logan didn't look convinced. Veronica titled her head and twisted her lips before pulling Logan from the collar of his shirt and making his lips be oh-so close from hers. "Come on, I don't want to do it alone…" She pouted, playing completely her cute card —that one always, _always_ worked after all.

Logan looked at her steadily for a moment before sighing. Veronica beamed at that; he'd given in! "I'll get the cups!" She called a little too cheerily before heading off in the direction of the pantry.

Logan looked at her with a small smile on his face as she went and got the two red cups. He didn't know how much pee she was going to require from him, but that sure looked like a huge cup for a urine sample, he thought, as Veronica literally grabbed him and walked them back in the direction of the bathroom.

"You know this is another reason why _you_ guys should have the babies." Veronica commented seriously, as Logan finished up with his '_sample'_ and was washing his hands on the sink.

"What do you mean?" He asked her only a _little _bit confused —after all this time with her it was hard to believe that her comments could still surprise him, but sometimes they really did.

"I mean, look at how easy it was for you to pee on that cup. I _peed _on my hands —_twice _honey," Veronica complained completely serious, but in any case, Logan couldn't help but laugh at her. This time he had even witnessed the peeing, and he could actually agree with her in that argument, it was considerably harder for her to do this than it was for him.

"How do you suppose we would push them out, though Veronica?" Logan said drying his hands. She had a point, but so did he. "I'm thinking butt cracks were not made for that—"

"–Ew Logan! That's disgusting!" She cried hitting him on the arm as hard as she could. She was almost gagging at that comment, but after a beat, it hit her and she was frozen on her spot.

"What is it?" Logan asked noticing how suddenly the look on her face changed.

"Nothing." It was _obviously_ something.

"Veronica." Logan called, making her look up at him.

"If that test turns positive _I am _going to have to push a little person out of me." She was petrified now all of a sudden. "How am I supposed to do _that_?"

Logan smiled at her sweetly and moved so that he was standing right in front of her. "I have no idea what to tell you about that –since, you know, I'm a dude, so I'm going to go for a joke, okay?" He tried with a smile Veronica simply had to match. See, this was why she loved him. He could make her smile even when deep inside she was scared shitless. "It'll be okay V…"

Veronica took a moment or two to ponder his words and then smiled and nodded. "Let's dunk those sticks, shall we?" And so they did —right after Veronica wrote an "_L_" on one of the tests with a sharpie marker, and a "_V_" on the second one. She dipped one of the tests on her cup and then Logan with the silliest smile Veronica had ever seen on him, deep his own stick on his own pee. Oh, fun times!

"Now we wait?" Logan said excitedly making Veronica roll her eyes.

"Yeah." She replied simply anyway.

Logan slid his back down the wall to sit on the floor. Veronica followed and sat on his lap letting him hold her —she was really finding that comforting today.

"So what made you think you are pregnant?" Logan asked her softly after a beat. He figured he'd better keep her mind occupied while they waited for the results.

Veronica lifted up her face from his chest and met his eyes. "Not a whole lot really —I'm just like a little clock with my period every month—"

"—How late are you?"

Veronica rolled her eyes at the question. "Technically four days or something. I was supposed to get it on Monday and since it didn't come, when we were at the store I just thought I'd pick up a test anyway. Other than that I don't think I've felt anything else…" She told him only a little uneasily. "And well…"

"What?"

"I've been kind of a bitch to you lately —I can't explain that, so maybe this has something to do with it?" She asked Logan doing her sweetest face. Truth was she was really sorry for taking it out on him as of lately. She'd been easily irritated —to say the least, but the one person that seemed to pay for all the broken plates had been Logan.

"Well, then it would explain _a lot_." Logan said with wide eyes. In that sense she had indeed been kind of weird —one moment she loved him, then the next one she could hardly stand him.

Veronica let out a breath and shook her head. "I _am_ sorry," She told him now suddenly feeling _oh-so_ guilty about the last couple of weeks of she being such a pain.

"Don't worry about it, I was joking." Logan assured her with a kiss to her cheek. Veronica smiled at him slightly, and that was enough for him —for now. "But I actually _do_ think you've been acting funny lately," He said only making Veronica look back at him confused. "I mean, besides the bitchiness," He added, and while that made them both laugh it also made Veronica smack him on the chest. "I mean it though Veronica. You've been eating just what for the last week —at _every meal?"_

Oh well, she was actually guilty of that. "Watermelon and strawberries." She admitted with a silly smile —it had been weird but she had just wanted watermelon and strawberries this last week —it hadn't mattered to her it was January for Christ's Sake.

"That doesn't mean anything though, now does it?"

Logan shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. All I'm saying is that it is a little weird."

Veronica thought about it for a small moment, and then nodded. "It was, so…point taken smarty boy…"

"Also…"

"There's more?" Veronica interrupted; she really hadn't noticed she'd been acting _that _weird then.

"Well, it's probably nothing, but you remember the other night?"

"You are going to have to give me a few more details about _which _night honey," Veronica said with a smile as she also rolled her eyes.

"When was it, remember when I picked you up at work and that dumbass of your coworker tried to make small talk about beer and crap?"

Veronica nodded. Yeah, she remembered that night. "What happened?"

"Well, we slept together that night?"

Sure they had, but why was it important. Thank the Lord they hadn't reach that point in their relationship where sex was a rare occasion. "So what?"

"So…remember I…" Okay, this was awkward, but whatever. "I touched you that night and you…you almost cried, V…" Okay, he needed to be a little more specific because Veronica was still a bit lost. And then Logan pointed to her breasts and immediately she remembered.

It was true. Veronica had never complained about that before –_ever_, for as long as she could remember she had never ever had sore breasts, but that night she had to the point that Logan touching her had indeed almost made her cry…

Huh…maybe this pregnancy thing was a real deal after all…

"You remember now?"

Veronica tilted her head to the side before nodding and smiling nervously. "You think it's been three minutes already?"

Honestly it had been like ten already, but Logan wasn't going to say that. "I think so." He told her sweetly. "You ready?'

"Yeah…" Veronica whispered as she turned on Logan's lap and reached out for the two tests. She turned around Logan's in her hands first. In that moment, she did her best not to laugh. "Well, I guess we should be happy you Logan Echolls, are _not_ pregnant." She declared playfully as the two of them laughed, and for no reason whatsoever, Logan kissed her. Veronica was smiling after the kiss, as she turned around the second test. They both saw it at the same time. "Me on the other hand…" She let her sentence trail off as the two of them stared at the word "_Pregnant_" written oh-so clearly on that test. Leave it to technology for making all this far simpler. There were no blurry lines to tell apart in the test, even a monkey could read it —well, that in a world where monkeys could actually read but still…

"Can you believe this?"

Veronica heard Logan's voice and turned her eyes from the test to meet his. She shrugged her shoulders at him. "This is not the worst thing, right?"

"Absolutely not." Logan assured her without missing a beat.

"We are not seventeen and in high school, right?"

Logan shook his head, but Veronica just kept on talking. He understood what was happening now, she was processing this —aloud, and everything he said or didn't wasn't going to make a difference, but still…

"We are twenty eight."

"Right," Veronica said with a strong nod of her head. "It's not as if we can't afford it, we can."

"Yeah." Again Logan just agreed with her. "It's good news buddy…" Logan added sweetly, as he pulled her closer to him and kissed the side of her head. "Are you excited?"

"Are you?"

"No shit!" And then again there was the huge smile Veronica had seen on him earlier when she first told him about this. It made her smile, and for one reason or another, almost cry too.

"Then I am too." She told him with a teary voice but still with a smile on her face as well. It really did make her excited —she'd been right, they weren't kids anymore for sure, they had good stable jobs, they loved each other, they had traveled a lot during the over eight years they had been together, they were a good team, maybe this was just what came next and maybe it _was _simply going to be okay…

xxxx

It had been a loaded night; it really had been no surprise when at night the two of them have been lying in bed unable to sleep. For Veronica it really was that she just couldn't shut up her mind, she was thinking too loud about everything and sleep just wasn't coming. And as for Logan, he was also thinking many things; things completely different from the things Veronica was thinking, but still very important things too —or so he thought. He was imagining how different life was going to be from now on. It was going to be a complete change, in just a few months it wouldn't be him and Veronica anymore, but a whole other person would be there too —all the time. The thought of it both excited and terrified Logan to no end.

He let out a breath before turning to his side and realizing Veronica was still awake as well. It was 12:13 –and well, even when it wasn't terribly late —_it was Friday actually_— Logan knew it had been a long long day for Veronica and he had kind of expected her to fall sleep easily and probably even sleep in tomorrow. He had actually planned on letting her sleep as long as she could, and then even bring her breakfast to bed —or well, take her _out_ for breakfast perhaps would be more accurate.

But in any case, the fact was that she was still awake. "What'cha thinking?" Logan asked softly stroking some hair off her face.

Veronica turned to look at him and scoot on the bed so she was closer to Logan. He made their foreheads meet and she smiled. "Work…"

Ah, of course. They didn't talk about that before going to bed, but Logan actually understood completely where she was coming from now. "It bums you out?"

Veronica simply nodded her head. What was the point in lying, really? "I've been thinking all evening, and that has been the only not great thing about…_this," _

"You don't think they'll fire you, right?"

"No," Veronica replied with no hesitation. That wasn't it. "It could be and it _is_ plain bad for some women to be pregnant and a lawyer at the same time, I won't say no to that, but…I _am_ awesome at what I do," —_Always the modesty of course_— "I keep our clients happy, do my hours, and make the firm money. Besides, Chloe," —_the boss/lead partner_— "Has like three girls, I've met them, so…no, I'm not worried about being fired_—"_

_"_But then you _are _worried about something?"

"Yes and no," Veronica replied honestly. "I just…I got this position not too long ago," Only a little over three months ago she had gotten one of the only six nationwide promotions last year. As a senior associate the pay was so much better and she had more say in the firm; she liked that. "So I don't know, I guess I was actually looking forward to…_work,_" Did that even make sense? It did for Veronica anyway. She loved her job, it was demanding, and sometimes it took a little too much of her time, but she liked doing what she was doing. She couldn't deny that it did make her a little sad to think she wouldn't be able to be on top of her cases through the end…

"I know how excited about it you are…" Logan said in understanding. "But it's not like you are going to stop working right this moment."

That was true, Veronica gave him that.

"We have time. We'll figure out what's best…" He said sweetly and Veronica could vividly feel all her worries melting at his words. "Besides, unless you have to be in court I know you are pretty good at working from home and doing your hours come hell or high water, so I don't know…even if you want to stay with the baby more, it doesn't technically mean you have to stop working…"

Huh…he surely had a point. "I like the way that sounds," She told him sincerely. On the one hand, Veronica knew she wanted —_needed_ to be a good mother. She had known about that future little Echolls for less than 24hours but she already knew her most important job from now on was going to be to love and take care of that little person, and she was actually completely okay with that. Still, that not even for a minute meant she felt able to let go of her job —she was too committed to that as well to just let it go…

Perhaps now becoming a partner of the firm would be tougher...but...as long as it wasn't impossible, nobody could tell her she couldn't do it, right?

"You are handling all this a whole lot better than I thought you would…" Veronica confessed softly after a moment. "It's a compliment Logan," Veronica assured him when he made a face at her words. "I'm proud of you." She told him, and she honestly meant it. She saw him every day and yet some days even she was impressed all over again, at how far he'd gotten. He was a good man, hardworking, smart, amazing lover…he was also flawed of course, but…so was she and they've made it work, right? That was what mattered most to Veronica.

"I'm proud of you too," Logan said because just like her, he felt that too. "And I really am happy about this."

They were so sappy sometimes, but the hell with it, Veronica didn't care, and instead of making a joke to break the heavy emotional moment, she leaned forward and kissed him. She enjoyed the intimacy between them, the closeness, and the feeling of calmness he gave her.

"What were you thinking though?" Veronica asked then. "You couldn't sleep either? Where was your head at?"

Logan let out a somewhat nervous laugh at that. "Your Dad…" He answered bluntly. "You think he'll try to kill me?"

Veronica wasn't sure if Logan was messing with her or being serious, in any case she couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. "Oh God my Dad…" She giggled looking at Logan's mortified face —apparently he was really considering the possibility of Keith attempting to his life after finding out about this future grandchild. "I forgot about everybody else," She told him sincerely. "I suppose we'll have to tell them all eventually, huh?" Veronica said, still with a mocking smile on her face as she and Logan sat up in bed. "But don't worry dummy, he…God, I think my Dad is going to be busy enough traumatizing himself with the idea –now _fact_ that his daughter actually has sex," Veronica explained knowingly.

Logan didn't get her though. "We've been living together for years…" Of course Keith had to know they slept together every night and constantly had sex, no?

Veronica shook her head in any case. "It doesn't matter Logan. I'm telling you for experience, sometimes it really is better to pretend some things aren't real…like your Dad having sex…or in his case, his daughter…" Veronica stated knowing more than well her Dad felt the same way about that.

Logan laughed ever so slightly, and shook his head. "Whatever you say," He agreed goofily, before meeting her eyes steadily and smiling softly.

"I think he's going to be happy," Veronica stated, her voice now carrying more serious. "He knows I'm happy with you, and since we are both happy about the little fetus inside me, then I'm sure he'll be too…"

At the mention of the baby Logan stopped thinking about Keith and instead shifted his eyes down to Veronica's midsection; it really was surreal to think someone —_who was theirs by all means in the world—_ was growing in there. "How pregnant do you think you are?"

"No idea," Veronica replied looking down at her belly as well. There hadn't been any changes there yet —at least not that she'd noticed. "It's kind of freaky though…"

"What?"

"There _is _a person inside me. She's right here one way or the other…don't you find that a bit freaky?"

Not really, he didn't. "I think…" Logan said before sighing and looking back up at her eyes. "I think you are amazing buddy. I think that kid is amazing…"

Veronica smiled proudly at that. "Oh well, we try," She said cockily making him smile. She grew somewhat serious after a moment though. "I think you are going to be a really go Dad. I kind of really believe that, you know?"

"Yeah…?"

"Yeah…" Veronica assured him one last time as she moved back closer to Logan and both got back under the covers. Logan held her to his body and let her rest her head on his chest. He kissed her head strongly as she saw Veronica yawning at last.

"You are going to be amazing too V…"

Veronica looked up at him sleepily. "Thank you…" She told him warmly. "Can we please keep talking about this tomorrow, though? I'm not really looking forward to the whole popping out of the little person quite yet…"

"Kay…" Logan agreed with a smile. "Good night…"

"Night night…" Veronica mumbled, feeling her eyelids heavier and heavier. "I love you…" She promised sincerely before she finally let her eyes close.

Logan nodded his head slightly and whispered the words back. "Love you too…" He said kissing Veronica on the head again. He waited a beat before moving his free hand to Veronica's stomach. "You too baby…" He whispered far too softly, and while he'd thought Veronica was already fast asleep, Logan was pleasantly surprised when Veronica placed her hand on top of his own over her stomach as well.

Veronica didn't say anything and she really didn't need to. They were all connected one way or the other right then. Even if that baby was now only the size of a pea or less, Logan knew the baby should already know he'd won the lottery with the mom he'd gotten. She was the best. The best thing in his life, and now she was giving him a child.

Life honestly couldn't get better than this.

* * *

**AN : Too sappy? Ikr, but anyway thank you so much for reading lol :))**


	4. Chapter Four - Happy Birthday (I)

**Chapter Four - Happy Birthday I**

It was a funny thing to see that little girl before her, resembling so much a good ole drunken person right now —she was clumsy, laughed at everything -_funny or not_—, still took pride on pooping her pants, babbled and only made sense on occasion. Yeah…a good ole drunken person.

Truth was, today was the day Elizabeth turned _one_ —yup, one whole year of life for the little one. And to say Veronica couldn't believe it was an understatement. That last year had gone by so fast —seriously_, so so fast,_ it was really incredible to think that little person toddling around the room, falling on her bum over and over again, was the very same teeny tiny baby Veronica had held for the first time one whole year ago.

It blew her mind a little, especially because she wasn't sure where all that time had gone. Last she knew Elizabeth was a smiley, cute looking blob, and now, _boom_, she'd became a cruising almost-toddler, that smiled at you devilishly every time she went to reach something she wasn't supposed to.

It was amazing how much she'd grown during the last year, and even more amazing the fact that she didn't seem to stop growing…nope, not at all.

Right then, out of the corner of her eye, Veronica caught sight of Logan walking into the living room. His eyes were focused on Elizabeth, and while he startled the little girl slightly when he grabbed her in his arms, the second she realized it was her daddy holding her, she started letting out those perfect little giggles she always did.

Logan blew a raspberry to her cheek making her laugh even more. He turned to look at Veronica then, and they shared a look —she was smirking at him, of course. "How you doing old man?" Yup, it was _his_ birthday also, and Veronica hadn't had it in her not to say that.

She grinned when Logan rolled his eyes before he kissed Elizabeth again, and put her back down on the floor. "_You_ turned 30 before me," He pointed out in a true four-year-old manner, almost pouting and all.

Veronica didn't care too much though; instead, she just laughed at him and shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah, but I don't care, you do…" She pointed out matter of factly, making Logan roll his eyes one more time. He still leaned in and kissed her before shaking his head and letting out a breath.

"It's my birthday, be nice…" He ordered playfully as he sat down by Veronica.

She was smiling when she turned to him. "Happy Birthday honey…" She told him for the second time today —the first time had been just as they woke up in the morning, and she'd given him the first '_grownup gift'_ of the day before the munchkin had woken up as well. "What do you think we should do today?" Veronica asked him then, her hand reaching up to stroke his cheek, all the while as Elizabeth mesmerized herself with her own very first present —and in truth, it had been as easy as stopping at the dollar store this morning to make that child happy as could be. Veronica had gotten a whole bunch of Mylar balloons and tied them to Elizabeth's toys so that when the tot walked into the playroom this morning, she found all the balloons at her reach. It was really an understatement to say the kid had loved her first present.

Plus, she looked so darn cute banging on the balloons and letting out perfect chuckles to herself as the balloons bounced back up.

"I don't know…" Logan answered as he too looked over at Elizabeth. "She looks very happy…"

Veronica nodded at that. She still had something to say. "Do you think we are bad parents because we didn't think of throwing her a party?"

Logan made a face looking at her, but then he also shook his head. "Nope…she's _one_, she's not going to remember anyway…"

That was true, but still. "_We_ will remember…"

Logan let out a small breath, she was right, but he didn't see this as a bad parenting example anyway. The opposite really. "We are both here with her. That was more than what my parents did for me or my sister some years, so I think we are not doing so bad…"

Huh.

Well, if he put it like that, then of course they were the greatest parents in the world. "You are right. She doesn't need a party; she wouldn't even know what's going on, right? Don't tell her but she's not really _that_ smart yet," Veronica joked, and while Logan chuckled, he still shook his head at her.

"We should still do something, though…" Logan said thoughtfully after a moment. "Take her somewhere, or…you know, we should just buy her a cake and let her eat it." He said then as if it were his best idea yet. He smiled and nodded his head goofily at Veronica. Somehow just the thought of his baby daughter munching on a full of sugar cake just for herself made him quite happy. Especially since Elizabeth still didn't know of the joys of sugar.

"We can do that…" Veronica agreed after a small moment, but before she could say more, Logan chimed in again.

"And we should take pictures. You know, the two of you, and me…we should take pictures." The whole truth behind that request was Logan's need to make some memories his kid could look at years from today. That was something he couldn't do without a pang of pain in his chest, so no…he wanted something different for Elizabeth. He wanted her one day to look at the pictures of her birthdays with only happy smiles on her face. "What do you say Veronica?"

She looked at him in the eye for a beat, before simply nodding. "That sounds great." She said sincerely as she leaned in and gave Logan a small kiss to his lips. "We'll make it special. You'll see…" She promised even though it already was special. Even when Veronica hadn't been sure last year about how Logan and the baby sharing a birthday was going to work out, right about now, she knew it couldn't be better. She loved she was getting to celebrate two of the most important people in her life, the very same day. It felt nice, and…special.

She could still remember the day once upon a time when the Doctor announced Elizabeth's due date…

_Then…_

_Logan couldn't help the smile on his face as he watched Veronica. She was sitting on the examination table looking goofily at the millions pamphlets and pictures on the walls. Her legs were dangling from the table and that made Logan chuckle quietly._

_"What's so funny?" She asked him from the table._

_Logan looked innocent and shook his head. "Nothing…Just thinking…" He told her sweetly, moving so that he was standing by her. He moved a strand of hair from her face and kissed her forehead. "You are cute," He stated and while Veronica looked at him suspiciously for a moment, she shrugged it off and smiled after a beat. _

_"You are so not going to be thinking that in a few months…" Veronica told him anyway. Logan looked confused at her words though. "I'm going to be fat dummy." She elaborated, and while Logan smiled slightly at her words, he mostly just shook his head._

_"You are crazy," He told her as he stood before her so that their eyes met. "You are not going to be fat; you are going to be pregnant…"_

_Veronica wondered if that line ever worked in any pregnant woman in the world. "Potato, potahto, Logan…" Veronica told him pointedly just before the door of the room swung open and the Doctor walked in._

_Veronica's as well, as Logan's eyes turned rapidly in her direction. The Doctor looked apologetic for a moment before she just smiled and closed the door behind her. "Sorry to interrupt, but I'm sure you were getting tired of waiting anyway, am I right?"_

_Logan and Veronica shared a look before they both nodded their heads. _

_"So you found out your pregnant, and your OB sent you for a sonogram?" The Doctor asked as she read some things from Veronica's chart. _

_"Yeah…A few weeks ago…" Veronica replied simply. _

_"Okay…Great…" The Doctor said as she sat for a moment behind her desk and typed some things from Veronica's chart into the computer. "You've experienced anything out of the ordinary during the last few days?"_

_ "Nope…" Veronica said still from the examination table. "I've been peeing a lot though…"_

_"And she also threw up once the other day…"Logan chimed in, smirking in Veronica's direction._

_Oh to the joys of morning sickness –and it really hadn't been that bad on Veronica yet, but still that one time she threw up had been just not fun –to say the least._

_The Doctor looked up from her computer and smiled knowingly at the two of them. "Right now your morning sickness should be in full-blown, but…it'll pass soon enough, I promise." She said with a smile. "Is it bad?"_

_Veronica shrugged her shoulders uneasily —how was she supposed to know, she'd never done this before. She had no comparison point. "I don't know, I don't feel sick during the day which is good," –Really good, especially since she was going to court 4 out of 5 days lately— "But then last week I couldn't eat at night a couple times. The smell alone made me gag…" She confessed honestly._

_In any case, the Doctor just smiled understandingly. That was one of the things she couldn't do much to help all those new-moms she saw daily. "It'll pass…" She assured Veronica before writing for a few moments in her computer. "So no pain, headaches?"_

_"Nope…" Veronica answered simply shaking her head. She then looked over at Logan and down at his hands, and saw the way he was nervously taping on the table. He was nervous, and she knew he wished nothing more but to get this over with and see the baby for once and for all._

_It made Veronica smile in any case, and so then she reached down her hand, and placed it on top of Logan as the Doctor asked her then if she'd ever been pregnant before and whatnot._

_When Logan felt Veronica's hand he was startled slightly, but was soon calm again as he looked up at Veronica and smiled. In spite of feeling scared shitless, he was also terribly excited about this. _

_The Doctor got up from her desk and walked to the examination table requiring Veronica to lie down. She did as she was told, but not for a second Logan let go of her hand. _

_"Showtime," The Doctor called excitedly as she moved the ultrasound machine closer to the table. She turned it on and did all the routine things as Veronica lifted up her shirt, and the Doctor put on the freakishly cold gel on her stomach._

_It made her cringe and she pouted turning to look at Logan. "It's freezing." She mouthed as Logan just laughed at her quietly. _

_Logan however, didn't get the chance to say anything comforting before the doctor placed the ultrasound wand on Veronica's stomach and started moving it around. At first the Doctor had the screen turned towards her, and so Veronica and Logan were just steadily looking at one another as she clicked away and moved the wand._

_After a few moments, the screen was turned in their direction, and without meaning to do so, at the very same time both of them took in a sharp breath. **Now** it was Showtime._

_"So…" The Doctor drawled out as both Logan and Veronica turned to her and the screen._

_Veronica was squeezing his hand a little too tight, but Logan still didn't say anything. He instead squeezed it back as the doctor spoke and showed them the little still barely existent features of their baby. _

_"Everything looks normal so far. You appear to be just about ten weeks pregnant so by all means, this is just the beginning of this journey…" The Doctor said perhaps sounding a little too philosophic for Veronica's taste, but still doing the job to have her there at the edge of tears —literally. _

_If she were to be completely honest with herself, Veronica knew this baby hadn't felt all that real yet —at all. Despite that occasional spur of morning sickness –which could easily just be the stomach flu— she'd felt mostly normal since they found out about the baby… _

_Being here right now however, oh well…that had made this pregnancy thing finally sink in. She couldn't believe that little thing with that perfectly oversized head and itsy bitsy arms was in fact growing inside her. "Holy cow…" Veronica breathed out turning quickly to look at Logan who was pretty much having the same reaction as she was…he was in awe. _

_"Baby's heartbeat is at 140-150," The Doctor noted once the sounds of the steady beating of the baby's heart carried through the room._

_Veronica's mouth opened to say something at the sound, but no words came out. What was she supposed to say to **that**? This kid had a heart. One that could actually beat! What was more amazing than that?_

_"That's…wow…amazing…" Logan spoke softly then, and Veronica was sure she had been the only one to hear him. His voice had been awfully quiet for some reason. She still nodded her head as she turned to him, and Logan sweetly kissed her before they both turned back to the screen._

_"He still kind of looks like a blob…"_

_The Doctor smiled slightly at Veronica's comment. "I get that a lot from new parents." She told her back simply as she clicked on the machine for a few more moments._

_All the while the sound of the baby's heart was traveling through the room, and Veronica wished she had something to record it or something. Honestly, who would have thought she could feel so much towards such teeny person she didn't really know yet?_

_"Overall the baby looks great," The Doctor repeated after a moment. "Your due-date as of now is September 6th…" The Doctor trailed off and narrowed her eyes when Veronica snorted at her comment. "What's so funny?"_

_Veronica turned to Logan and smiled goofily before answering. "It's his birthday." She told the Doctor unable not to smile at the coincidence._

_"Well…I do not get that often…" The Doctor replied amiably. "Your due date could still change; it's not set on stone or anything. Babies can be born any time after the 37th week of pregnancy, or even before sometimes, but…who knows and maybe your little one will share its birthday with her father…"_

And so _Elizabeth Echolls_ had. She had been born on September 6th, 2014, at 10:11pm. Veronica had felt a little sorry since it did actually kind of suck that Logan spent his whole birthday on the hospital —_seeing her in pain at that_— the day Elizabeth was born.

Logan however, had been _oh-so_ fast to tell Veronica otherwise though. He'd been rather excited the whole time and told her there could not possibly be a better present in the world than the healthy beautiful baby they both got that very night.

Elizabeth was big when she was born —Veronica hadn't even known how much until hours after the baby was born. And maybe it had been because she was all too exhausted after giving birth, but still…it didn't hit her until she paid the nursery a visit.

The Doctors were doing a glucose test or something on Elizabeth, and since there hadn't been human power great enough to keep Veronica away from the baby as they did the test, she'd tagged along to the nursery as the test was done.

To Veronica's surprise, she'd gotten to see some of the other babies in the nursery, and surprisingly enough, not one of them was as big as her daughter. 6 pounds 11ounces…7pounds 5ounces…there was even an 8pounder. Elizabeth however, she'd weighted at _9pounds 3ounces_ at birth…she'd been _huge_, and to this day Veronica still didn't get just how her own baby had been so big at birth considering the rather petite mother she got.

In any case, huge or small at birth, Elizabeth had been loved from the very moment she first started wailing in the outside world. Today, a year later, Logan couldn't be more thankful about the little life they've gotten the pleasure to raise. Elizabeth was gorgeous and she and her mom were the very best things in his life —even when from now on and for many many years he was going to have to share his birthday with his little one. It didn't matter though. If anything, it finally gave him an actual reason to celebrate this day.

Even when right now Elizabeth was whining her way to him. "What is it sweetie?" Logan asked her sweetly, as he grabbed the little girl in his arms. Elizabeth formed a big pout as their eyes met.

"I'm trying to get her dressed, that's it…" Veronica explained as she too walked into the living room. She had been trying to put a really _really _pretty dress on Elizabeth, but the kid had been having any of it, and had wiggled until Veronica gave up, and the baby escaped the room. "You found Daddy little one?" Veronica asked Elizabeth as soon as her own eyes landed on Elizabeth's.

And at the question Elizabeth turned to look at Logan, and grinned. "Daddy!" She giggled before resting her head on his shoulder.

And just _that, _was so amazing. Elizabeth was just beginning to find her words, and while she didn't have all that many —mama, daddy, dada, ball, agua, leche –_Veronica's attempt to raise her multilingual_—, go go, ni ni for night night, _no_ of course, and maybe a couple more—, every time her little mouth opened and an _actual_ word came from it, it was so so cool. Especially the little thang Elizabeth put to some words, it was _that_ cute.

"You wanna try and get her dress?" Veronica asked, now looking at Logan as she tilted her head.

His eyes darted back and forth between Elizabeth and Veronica then before he simply nodded. Of course he'll do it.

"Good." Veronica grinned and kissed him after he agreed. "I made reservations so she _has _to wear the dress," She warned playfully, before scrunching her nose playfully at Elizabeth. "You are a monster-baby…" She told her before giving her chubby cheek a kiss. "But I love you…" She added in a sing-song voice, making Elizabeth giggle. "Okay, now go get her dressed…" She told Logan as both baby and dad started walking in the opposite direction.

Veronica let out a breath before busying herself packing Elizabeth's diaper bag. She loved that baby. Even if she was a handful sometimes, she was simply the best most of the times, and right now, it was hard to remember how life without her was —or worse, imagining how life would be without her…

Now, _that_ was a bad thought. Thankfully, Elizabeth was a fairly healthy baby. She had only been sick a handful of times during the last twelve months and nothing had been really serious. She'd had a silly ear infection once a couple months ago and maybe a runny nose a few of times as well, but for her first year of life, she'd been quite the trooper, and hadn't been sick much.

There had been _one_ time though when she'd made her parents really scared for her. That had been months before she was born though.

It had all started with a normal spring day for Veronica; she had been mere days from starting trial with a client, but that still wasn't out of the ordinary. The sucky part about this case, was that she really didn't like it…that was in truth mostly because it involved children and since she had had one of those inside her at the time, it'd made things a little…different —more personal perhaps…

_The why Veronica was sitting at her office that day, cursing at this case and wishing more but to be home with a nice pint of ice-cream, was simply because this case **sucked**. She didn't even remember why she'd taken it in the first place. It sucked. It sucked so much she wished there was a better word to describe it. _

_This case started like a missing person's case; a mom reported her baby missing after getting a call from Dad saying the baby was gone. What made it worse was that now; said baby's dad was accused of murdering that same baby. It was awful. And even worse the fact that he wasn't speaking. At this point in time, Veronica was going into court as the defended attorney to a man who was doing very very little to help himself. And seriously, what was she supposed to do if he insisted to make this much harder than it should be?_

_Veronica sighed looking back down at the papers on her desk. She needed something, something to keep going with, but it certainly was proving to be harder than she thought it'd be._

_"Hey, are you busy?"_

_Veronica looked up startled when this person walked into her office. "Er, hi…" She stumbled a little over her words before she tried for a smile._

_It didn't come out right though, and instead Veronica looked more as if she were grimacing than anything else. "Are you okay?" Chloe asked her then with a mocking expression on her own._

_Chloe was Veronica's boss, and had been for a little over a year now. "I'm fine." Veronica insisted pointedly. "And not really busy. I'm getting nowhere with this case. What do you need?" She asked, as she motioned Chloe to take a seat, which she did only a moment later._

_"You have the Collins case, right?"_

_Veronica simply nodded looking up from her paperwork. "I'm meeting with the baby's mom in a couple of hours…" She said simply, inwardly hoping Chloe had some magic words to tell her that would somehow magically crack this case._

_In any case, Chloe barely shook her head at those words. This case was a tough one and she sure was the first one to admit to that —she was a mom herself, and the thought alone of losing one of her kids made her more scared than anything else in the world. It couldn't be easy for Veronica either —after all she did have one of those little people growing inside her right now. "She's sticking by the husband, right?"_

_Veronica again nodded. "Yeah," She replied simply. "We are going to go through her statement again today but in all honesty, she's the only person I've met that is completely sure her husband didn't do it."_

_Chloe let out a breath at that. "Try to treat this case as any other, okay? Do your job and just try to remain unbiased, you understand? This is the job…" She told Veronica, but those words did very little for her._

_"Well, the job sucks sometimes…" Veronica spat but regretted it the second the words left her mouth._

_Chloe's lips formed a thin line as she just looked over at Veronica. "It does."_

_Veronica was quiet for a few moments before she looked back up at Chloe. She wanted to ask her something, but she wasn't sure if she should or not —she was still her boss after all._

_"What?" Chloe asked her, sensing Veronica hesitation to speak._

_The hell, she'd just say it already…"When's the right time to have children?"_

_Oh, okay. Chloe didn't see that question coming, but all right… "Don't you think you are a little late asking that question Mars?" Chloe asked her then, trying to sound playful for a change. She motioned Veronica to her stomach and smiled._

_Veronica in any case just lowered her eyes for an instant before looking back up. "I mean it…when?"_

_Chloe shook her head at that. "Never." She answered even though she knew that was not the answer Veronica was hoping for. "Look Veronica, I know what you are going through. With everything we see, this job can certainly screw with our heads sometimes. But…don't feel that way. Bad things happen, and is our job to draw a line between them and our own lives…"_

_Veronica looked down and closed her eyes as she tried to process those words. She'd be a giant liar if she denied how much this case was getting to her. She used to be better than this, she did. She was mostly good at keeping her cases at the office, but this time it had been different. There was a baby in the line. It was a baby they weren't even sure was death or alive, but still one that deserved justice at the very least._

_"How far along are you?"_

_The question broke Veronica from her thoughts. She looked up at Chloe blinking a few times before answering. "Eh, I…I don't know," She mumbled as her eyes moved to the calendar on her desk. "Logan's better at keeping track of all that…" She said uneasily, not knowing for sure if she approved of the change of subject quite yet._

_"Logan's your husband, right?" Chloe asked then. She'd met him once at a Christmas party last year, but she wanted to be sure._

_"He's…not," Veronica told her sincerely. "He's the baby's dad if that's what you are asking, but…we, we are not married." She answered not really feeling too comfortable talking about her private life. They didn't do that too often —not really. Especially not during business hours._

_Chloe shook her head anyway at Veronica's answer. "It doesn't matter, I was just curious…" She smiled._

_Veronica didn't take it personal really, so she just smiled back. "I think I'm like 18 weeks or something. We have the anomalies scan scheduled for the 21st week, and that's in three weeks, so I guess that makes me 18 weeks along…" She answered at last._

_Chloe kept her smile and nodded her head —she had to go back to business now though. "This case is a tough one. It would be for any of us —Don't think it's hitting you hard just because you are growing a baby of your own. This case is…hard." She explained honestly. "Maybe one day we'll learn what really happen to Baby Nathan, maybe we won't, but for now your job is to believe in your client —even if he doesn't believe in himself," Chloe called when Veronica opened her mouth to speak. "He's not going to trust you if you don't trust him." She added seriously. Veronica let out a deep breath –she knew that rather well… "Do your job, but don't get obsessed,"_

_Veronica let out a weak laugh at that. That advice sure came a little too late… "I'm sorry. I…I won't…" She promised even though she knew she wouldn't be able to keep that promise._

_Chloe in any case just shook her head smiling slightly. "Just for the record, babies cry, like —all the time. They don't sleep when you want them to sleep. They are hungry all the time. They poop a lot. They take your time, your sleep, your thoughts…your everything."_

_Veronica made a face. "That's not helping." She told Chloe honestly, as she was already walking in the direction of the door to leave. _

_"All I'm saying is that it is okay if you are scared about becoming a mom. I'd be worried if you weren't. Especially given all the crap and bad things we see every day on this job, but…you know what Zoe told me this morning?" _

_"What?" Veronica asked back quietly. Zoe was her youngest child; Veronica had met her a couple times._

_"She said all serious, 'Y'know mommy, I know you miss me when you go working, but don't worry, me and Allie will snuggle with you tonight when you are back…'" Chloe's words carried in the air for a few moments before Veronica finally let herself smile. "And guess what? I can't wait for tonight when I'll get to snuggle my girls. In days like the one you are having today, there's nothing better but to come home to them and remember not everything is wrong in the world. Not everybody is bad. Not everything is unfair and wrong, but there's still…you know…some good out there too…"_

_Veronica let out a breath. "Thanks?" She asked goofily with a small smile on her face. "I mean it though. Thank you. I'd let you know how my meeting with Missus Collins goes."_

_Chloe simply nodded and smiled slightly at Veronica before leaving the office. _

_xxxx_

_Do not obsess. She'd promised to that less than three hours ago, and yet here she was, doing what you may ask? Well…obsessing. She'd been listening to just about every recording for this case over and over again since her meeting with Katie Collins had finished. Veronica was supposed to be preparing her opening statement for this trial and yet she was still finding it hard to be professional and put her mindset on the right place._

_Katie Collins was paying her to proof her husband didn't kill their eight month old baby. Katie Collins believed her husband couldn't have done it, and yet Veronica had every doubt in the world. How was she supposed to defend someone she wasn't sure was innocent of such terrible crime in the first place._

_This was useless. She needed to do something, and that certainly wasn't listening to this recording anymore. _

_So just like that, Veronica took off her headphones, picked up her things and off she went._

_Needlessly to say she was out of the office and in the direction of the county jail just as fast as her feet would take her. There was only one person who could answer her questions and that was Matthew Collins._

_When Veronica walked into the private room she'd requested to talk with her client, she was for an instant taken aback at the picture before him. Matthew Collins wasn't by any means a small man –not at all. She was big enough, yet hunched on that chair; Kleenex box right by him as he rocked slightly back and forth, Veronica couldn't help but think of him as a rather small individual. Perhaps that was just what happened to people who lost such priceless thing as their baby._

_"Mister Collins," Veronica cleared her throat as she walked to the table. He didn't chin up, but his red rimmed eyes did shift to hers. "I'm Veronica Mars, you remember me? I was here a—"_

_"I know who you are," He said softly as Veronica took a seat before him._

_She felt awkward but she also knew she needed to do this. "I'm here to talk about your case." She said simply. Veronica waited a moment or two, but there was no answer to her words. "We are to begin trial in just a couple of days. I came because; well, I need you to talk to me Mister Collins." Veronica said seriously, as she put out some paperwork from a briefcase. "I talked to your wife today." Bingo! Those words finally made Mr. Collins look up and Veronica inwardly patted herself on the back for that. _

_"Is she okay?"_

_Veronica didn't hesitate when she shook her head. "No." She told him simply, yet honestly. She so wasn't going to lie to this man. "She is desperate. The police, the FBI everybody is still investigating and trying their best to find your son," Veronica left out of that sentence the 'Death or alive' part obviously. "Your wife is adamant you didn't do anything to Nathan, and since she's paying me, it is my job to believe you didn't hurt your son as well," Veronica wasn't oblivious of the tears forming on this man's eyes, or the way he pursed his lips so tightly or made his hands fists at her words, but…if something she'd learned was that sometimes you have to push people if you want them to do the right thing. "That's why I'm here. You pleaded non-guilty to the charges of murder for a reason. I want to proof that's true —for you, but mostly for your wife." Veronica confessed honestly. "She needs you right now more than anything. Nathan has been gone for almost a month now, but she hasn't lost hope…" _

_Mister Collins closed his eyes shut, and for one reason or another Veronica felt a huge lump in her throat. "I need you to help me help your wife." She told him softly then. She hesitated, but in the end reached out and grabbed his hand._

_Collins was fast to look up at her then, but still just as fast to remove his hand from Veronica's. He didn't deserve this, he didn't deserve sympathy after the awful thing he'd done. He deserved to live with his torment every day for the rest of his life. That was what he deserved._

_Veronica sighed but didn't back off. She knew she was going to regret this in a few minutes, but she had to do it anyway. She took a deep breath before opening a folder and laying on the table a few pictures of Baby Nathan. All those were old pictures of the baby, happy smiles on his face as he played with a ball, happy smiles on his face as he first tried avocado and loved it. Happy smiles on his face as both his parents held him proudly in front of a Christmas tree last Christmas._

_"Mister Collins I know this is hard for you—" Veronica tried to say but before she could finish her sentence Matthew hastily pushed his chair back and got up from the table covering his face with his hands. He couldn't see this; he couldn't see the pictures of his little baby just like this. He felt too guilty._

_Veronica was startled but still stayed put. She was quiet while Collins composed himself. She looked at him guardedly as he turned back around with a face full of tears. "You, you…have no idea how hard this is…" His voice cracked and he swallowed hard before picking up the chair from the floor. "That's my baby," He said struggling as he grabbed one of the pictures in his hands._

_He quietly stared at it for a few moments, and while she was feeling terrible, Veronica took that moment to speak. "The state would drop their request that you serve out maximum sentence if only you can tell the authorities where your son may be…" Veronica's words lingered in the room for a few minutes until Mister Collins put down the picture of his family and looked at Veronica._

_"I do deserve the maximum, I…I do…" He told her then through tears. "But it's not as they are making it out to be. That's not what happened. It wasn't like that…"_

_"Then how was it?" Veronica asked as delicately as she could._

_By then Collins was shutting down again. "That's all I have to say," He croaked out. "Tell my wife I'm so sorry. It was my fault. This is my fault, it's all my fault." He cried silently before getting up from the table. He was done talking._

_Veronica rubbed her own hands together in hopes to help her keep her own emotions in check —this case sucked._

_xxxx_

_As Veronica laid in bed, headphones back on, document after document spread out on hers and Logan's bed, she couldn't help but think in Chloe. If things had gone as she'd planned them, right now she was probably cozy in bed with her two daughters enjoying of a movie and ice-cream perhaps, instead of obsessing over a case as Veronica couldn't help but do. Trial was in two days and she had…well, nothing._

_No-thing…_

_She closed her eyes then letting out a breath. When she opened them again, she saw Logan walking into the room. She was lying with her head by the foot of the bed, so as she looked back she saw an upside down Logan saying something to her. Veronica squinted her eyes trying to read his lips, but then with a smile just pulled one side of the headphones away from her ear. "What did you say?" She asked him with a silly smile._

_Logan matched it as he moved to sit on the bed with her. He helped her sit up. "Chinese or Thai, I'm ordering in." He said casually._

_Veronica in all honesty couldn't help the silly chuckle that escaped her lips. Oh the joys of the domesticated life, Chinese or Thai, the decisions…_

_Before she could answer however, Logan grabbed one of the files she'd set on her lap._

_Veronica let out a breath and looked at him cautiously knowing what was to come. "You gotta stop Veronica." Logan told her softly, as he read through the file on his hands. The facts of this baby's disappearance were so messy, and unfair but even when Logan understood why Veronica was taking such a personal interest on this case, he wished she didn't._

_But he knew better, and Veronica's next words only proved him right._

_"You know I can't…" She told him honestly. "I wish…I wish we just knew what really happened, you know? But…he's not talking…"_

_That hint of sadness and defiantness in her voice just about broke Logan's heart a little. He wished he could say or do something to make this a little better for her. "Why is the wife so sure he didn't do it?"_

_"The day the baby disappeared she got a call from her husband. According to her, he called her sounding broken telling her Nathan was gone. He said 'Nathan's gone. He's really gone. It's my fault, I'm sorry'," Veronica said reading from the transcripts from one of Missus Collins testimonies. That testimony alone was the state's biggest proof against Collins —well, that and the blood on his clothes when the police found him that very day. "She believes him in spite of that. She's certain her husband could never hurt that baby, but…he won't say anything…deny it, admit to it…nothing…" Veronica told Logan uneasily before taking the file from his hands. "Do order Chinese okay?" Veronica told him sweetly then, trying desperately to change the subject._

_Logan smiled sadly at her and nodded. "I'm sorry you had such a crappy day, V…"_

_Veronica nodded at him and then couldn't help but smile when out of nowhere Logan leaned over and kissed her belly. "Your little gremlin in there has been moving quite a bit today…" Veronica told him casually, liking the way Logan's face broke into a smile at that. It still wasn't strong enough for Logan to feel it as well yet, but he still loved the fact that 'the little gremlin' was so into swimming and doing acrobats inside his mom already. "Given this case I wanted to cry every time I felt it, but still…he did move a lot," She confessed then as an afterthought._

_Logan's face contorted, and so did Veronica's after a moment. She didn't mean to make him feel bad, Logan knew that, but it still sucked he couldn't help her with this. _

_"I'm sorry about that, Logan…" Veronica said softly then._

_Logan in any case, just shook his head. "No…I just…I really don't know what to tell you…" He knew she felt guilty somehow, but she shouldn't. _

_"You don't have to say anything, really. I'm just thinking these baby hormones are not playing around with. I'm a mess," She confessed with a small shrug of her shoulders. _

_"Talk to me…" Logan told her softly. "What's really bothering?"_

_There was nowhere to run. For better or for worse, Logan knew her, and of course he knew there was more to that statement than she was letting show. "What bothers me is that we are bringing a baby into a place where so many bad things happen every day." She confessed, turning her face away when Logan brought his hand up to touch her cheek. She needed to get this out. "Did you know almost 800.000 children are reported missing every year? That's more than 2000 children every day…"_

_Logan shook his head at her. "I didn't know that…"_

_Well, there was no reason for him to know it. Veronica on the other hand, well, it was her job to know such things. No matter how bad they sucked. "That still doesn't mean I'm not happy about the gremlin, you know that, right?" Veronica asked Logan then, as she moved just a tad closer to him. He was looking worried when their eyes meet, so Veronica lifted up her hand and moved it to his face as he spoke then._

_"Nothing bad is ever going to happen to the baby or you if I can help it. I swear." He said in earnest, making Veronica smile slightly; she believed those words._

_And maybe that was it. Maybe what Matthew and Katie Collins had was something like what she had with Logan. Veronica would never in her life believe Logan did something to harm her or their still unborn baby intentionally —even if the world was shouting it at her, or showing her all the evidence in the world, she would still never believe them._

_"I promise you I can still be professional about this case, so don't worry about me, okay?" Even as Veronica said that, she knew it was in vain. Logan would never not worry about her —especially not now with the gremlin growing inside her and all._

_Logan in any case chose to trust her on the being professional part. "I do hate and love how passionate you are about…everything, but just for the record, I do like it better when you don't bring work home, honey…" He told her jokingly knowing Veronica was more than ready for a break from all things related to the case._

_"You are one to talk," Veronica told him back before leaning in and kissing his lips softly. Just the other day he'd spent at least forty minutes trying to ditch a call from work while Veronica waited —it really wasn't all that fun when either brought work home to be honest. "I'm hungry, how about we eat now?" She asked him after a beat, making Logan smile. _

_xxxx_

_A hunch? Veronica rarely ever based her actions on hunches —at least not recently. Her job was about facts, most of the times she was pretty good at making decisions solely based on those._

_This evening however, she'd had a hunch right after she finished the amazing Chinese dinner Logan had ordered in, and because of that here she was on the phone with Katie Collins once again. And honestly, she was glad she was —even if Logan was nearly shooting daggers at her for making the call._

_"I know this is a weird question, but…just try and think, whatever you can tell me could help…" Veronica said into the phone as sympathetically as she could._

_Katie took a moment or two to think her questions through. The day that everything happened, her husband was supposed to take the baby in for a checkup at the doctors. Baby Nathan had been feeling a little under the weather the days prior, and since she had deadlines at work, Matthew had been on duty with the baby. Matthew however never made it to the baby's appointment and so Veronica's question was just what could have been more important than Nathan that day that made Matthew miss the appointment._

_"Maybe an emergency at work?"_

_Veronica wrote that down before saying something back. That would be easy enough to check with his boss, but Veronica still needed something more –something more powerful than that._

_"He wouldn't have missed Nate's appointment unless something big had really happened. The baby, he…he'd been getting sick a lot the night before, we, we were worried…" Katie confessed brokenly, and Veronica closed her eyes feeling now oh-so guilty again._

_"Maybe a friend was in trouble?" Katie threw those words out there. She didn't know what else could it be. "But we've talked with everyone and nobody heard from him that day," She concluded herself._

_Veronica bit on her lip uneasily. "That's okay, I'll double check. We still have two whole days before trial begins," Veronica said then trying to sound as optimistic as she could._

_Katie let out a breath before speaking again. "Maybe even his brother,"_

_Veronica narrowed her eyes at that. "I thought you two had no family in the city?"_

_"And we don't. He lives up in Jersey. We don't –I don't see Alex too often. He's…kind of a loner. Matthew goes to visit once a month, but he had just seen him the Sunday before everything with Nathan happened, so I don't know…I, I can't think in anyone else…They don't have any family, they grew up without their father, and their mom died when they were both still very little. That…that's all I can think about…"_

_"That was very good Katie, thank you…" Veronica said understandingly into the phone. "I'll call you again if something turns up, okay?"_

_"Yes, thank you…" Katie mumbled into the phone before hanging up._

_Veronica looked down the hallway to see if Logan was around, but she didn't see him. He probably was picking up the kitchen. She bit on her lip as she started going through all her files again. There was something about this Alex person that was making her head spin. According to Katie something really big must have happen for Matthew to miss the appointment for their son. Something big could easily be his family needing him. Alex and Katie clearly didn't get along, so it made sense Matthew didn't call her to tell her he was heading his brother's way instead of the doctor's office, right?_

_"You are going to hurt yourself thinking so hard," _

_The comment startled Veronica out of her thinking trance. "I'm going to go to the store. Do you need anything?"_

_Logan looked over at her as though she were crazy. "What?"_

_Veronica opened her mouth to speak but no words came out for a moment._

_"Veronica." Logan called then, making Veronica's eyes snap in his direction._

_"Ice-cream." She told him forcing a smile to her face. Logan looked at her warily, and so at that Veronica got up from the desk and tried again for that smile —she was slightly more successful this time. "Pregnant girl heading to the grocery store in a downpour for ice-cream. Stereotypical, but true." She declared making Logan smile slightly at her._

_He grabbed her by the waist then and leaned in kissing her softly. "You don't have to go. I can grab it for you," He offered simply._

_Veronica however widened her eyes and shook her head. "Yeah, and risk you getting me again horrible green ice-cream that made me puke for a whole hour? No thank you babe," Logan laughed slightly at her, and this time so did Veronica. "Besides, you are already in your pajamas…" She pointed out looking down at his bear pajama pants. When their eyes met again, Veronica just offered him a knowing look as she promised to be back soon._

_And so just like that, a few minutes later Veronica was in her car and driving she went._

_She didn't make it far away enough before realizing Logan's car was following close behind hers. She should have known —that boy knew her. In any case, Veronica didn't stop until she —they— made it to her office. She parked her car on the mostly empty parking lot, and then only a couple of minutes later, Logan did the same. She was standing outside of her car as he walked to her. "How did you know?"_

_Logan simply made a face at that question —he looked at her as though she were silly for even asking that. "I knew you were up to something. You had **that **look on your face," Logan told her smugly before leaning in and kissing her lips._

_Veronica kissed him back but still rolled her eyes once they pulled apart and their eyes met. "I don't have…any…faces, whatever," She pouted._

_Logan shrugged. Of course she did. "Yes you do. Besides, you lied. We have two pints of your fav ice-cream in the freezer ever since the green-ice-cream-puking incident."_

_He had a point. "I needed to find a phone number…" Veronica confessed at last. _

_"So this is about the case?"_

_Veronica nodded her head at the question. _

_"You still can not sneak out of the house like this, Veronica…"_

_He wasn't patronizing her, but Veronica still didn't like it. She rubbed her face before looking up into his eyes. "Let's go inside…I'll explain…" She said rather softly before grabbing Logan's hand and walked them both inside the building. No one besides the guard was there and Veronica liked this. A little over five minutes later they were both in her office._

_Veronica of course was fast to pull a bunch of paperwork from a cabinet, and put it on the desk as Logan eyed her office. He actually hadn't been here in a long time —he was glad there was a picture of the two of them on her desk. See, the girl loved him, she really did!_

_"Why are you smiling for?" Veronica asked Logan then, when she noted that silly smile on his face._

_In any case, he just shook his head ever so slightly before taking a look to the million files. "So what made you lie to me?"_

_Veronica narrowed her eyes at that. "You are not mad, are you?"_

_Logan shook his head again. "Nah…I knew what I was getting into when I fell for ya," He smirked at her making her smile. "Tell me what you got,"_

_Veronica nodded. "Alex—"_

_"Who's that?"_

_"Matthew's —my client's brother. He lives up in Jersey, and nobody has really contact him for this case. He is not very close to the family, but Matthew would visit him every once in a while. I…I can't tell you why, but…I just…I have—"_

_"A feeling? You?"_

_Veronica scrunched up her face when Logan said that. "I know, right?" She replied confused. "But anyway, I'm going to go talk to him tomorrow. I don't know…maybe he knows something we don't…"_

_Logan took a moment before he spoke. "You are not going to let this go, are you?"_

_Veronica looked at him goofily, before she simply shook her head. "I need to know what happen—"_

_"Veronica, this could be nothing–"_

_"But it could also be something, Logan…" She told him back seriously. "Try to understand—"_

_"Oh, I'm trying," Logan interrupted again. "You are crazy if you think I'm going to let my pregnant wife go venture into New Jersey by herself though…"_

_"Logan!" Veronica whined out of instinct. She wasn't a child. She knew how to take her of herself. Logan should know that by now!_

_"What?" Logan fought back without hesitation. "You know anything about this man. He could well be a psycho and I'm simply not letting you walk into his house voluntarily just because —At least not by yourself…" He was exaggerating, but still…_

_Veronica's face changed as he said that anyway. "What do you mean?"_

_"I meant…you know; wanna go on a road-trip to Jersey **with** me, Veronica Mars?"_

_Veronica couldn't help the idiotic smile that formed on her face at Logan's question. "Oh well…that really is tempting," She told him smiling devilishly at him. Logan moved a bit closer to her and they looked into each other's eyes. _

_"You can't deny we are a very good team, right?"_

_Veronica nodded at that. "Yeah…yeah we are…" Right as she said that, Logan leaned in a kissed her on the lips tenderly. _

_"So we are going?"_

_Veronica twisted her lips for a moment as she pretended to think this through. A smile soon made it to her face though. "Yeah, we are going…" Oh well…a little backup couldn't go wrong, right?_

_xxxx_

_And sure enough, just as they planned, early the next day the two of them hopped in the car and started driving to Jersey. Despite how early it was, Veronica had already called Alex Collins at least ten times. She was beginning to wonder if the number she had was the right one or not. It just kept ringing and ringing until eventually it went to voicemail every time. She sighed when one more time he didn't pick up. _

_Logan turned his eyes from the road for a moment only to see Veronica pouting at her cell phone. "We'll be there in ten minutes tops. Don't worry…"_

_Veronica turned to him and smiled ever so slightly. She wasn't feeling all that well to be honest, she felt as though she was going to be sick at any given minute. She couldn't tell Logan though —Veronica knew that if she as much as told him she didn't feel well, he would turn around that car and take her back home. She so wasn't going to let that happen. "My Grandma drives faster than you…" She told him not even knowing why. She looked over at him seriously before trying Alex's cellphone again. She didn't mean to be so nasty and rude, but she hadn't been able to help herself. She was so stressed out about this and she wasn't even sure why either. She knew this could be nothing at all. For all she knew the address they had could not be Alex's as well, and she and Logan would have done this drive for nothing…_

_Oh well…_

_"Ten minutes, you said?" Veronica asked Logan again then. Her voice was far quieter, and she'd put away the claws —for now at least._

_Logan in any case knew better than to start a fight with her right now, so he just nodded his head as he kept driving. _

_"I'm just nervous you know…for some reason…" One she wasn't even sure, but still…_

_Logan nodded slightly as he continued to drive. "I know." He could tell it by her face– she was pale as a blank piece of paper. _

_"I really just wanna get this guy out of jail…" Veronica confessed after a beat._

_Logan turned to her ever so slightly. "Why?" Logan asked back before realizing just what he'd said. Duh, getting people out of jail was her job doofus. "I mean, y'know, despite the obvious?"_

_"You really wanna know what I think?"_

_Always –how in the world she still didn't know? "Yes V…"_

_"I think the baby **is** dead," Veronica admitted those heavy words with an even heavier heart. "But I don't think Matthew did it anymore. I think…I think he's trying to protect something or someone by not telling the truth. I've never in my life seen a person carry with so much guilt as I think he does, but I don't think that guilt's due to his own wrongdoings." Veronica tried to explain then. "I…I also just think about Katie, you know? She already lost her baby; I wish she didn't have to lose her husband as well…"_

_Logan grew somber with every word Veronica said —this really was such a horrible case. "Deep down you are really a good person, you know?"_

_There was a compliment in that sentence, right? "Deep down?"_

_Logan rolled his eyes at her mocking tone. "You know what I mean. You play tough Veronica, but truth is that you care about others way more than you let it show…But I guess that's what makes you, you and I can't deny I love that you are just the way you are, so…you get my point right? I love you…"_

_Oh well, if he put it like that, then of course she'll take the compliment. "I love you, too…" She promised back with a small smile, before reaching out and grabbing his hand into hers._

_Once Logan finally found the right house, he wasn't surprised when Veronica turned to him with that tilt of her head and those big blue eyes staring at him. "You seriously want me to wait in the car?"_

_"Yes please." Veronica replied quickly, hoping to convince him with a smile. "I just don't wanna spook him, okay?" She told him sincerely. "This is just business. I'll ask some questions about the day baby Nathan went missing and get out…promise…"_

_Logan shook his head but still knew deep down she wasn't going to change her mind —they had actually done this a few times before throughout the years, and unless she had reason to think the person inside the house was dangerous, she would tell him to stay in the car. This was a man on his 20's Veronica was seeing today —she could handle those ever since her teen years to be honest. "Fine. But you call me the minute you need backup, okay?"_

_"Yup," Veronica chirped as she leaned in and kissed him. "I'll be back soon." And with that she opened the door of the car, and off she went in the direction of Alex Collins' house. _

_Logan was watching her the whole time as Veronica reached the door and knocked a few times. Nobody answered right away, but just as Logan was preparing to get out of the car as well, the door opened and a man appeared in front of Veronica. Logan couldn't really see so well, but he did look young; not too young to be a teen, but surely somewhere in his early twenties._

_Logan let out a long breath when Veronica walked into the house and the door was closed after her. _

_A few minutes passed by then; five, maybe even seven, but then something happened. Of course it did. Shit always had to happen to them…_

_It had happened suddenly, one moment Logan had been picking at the skin on his fingers, and then the next one he was scared shitless fearing something terrible had happened to Veronica._

_A gun shot —and of course it came from the very house Veronica had just walked in._

_Shit._

* * *

**AN : TBC! Thank you so much for reading!**


	5. Chapter Five - Happy Birthday (II)

**Chapter Five - Happy Birthday II**

_You don't really know how loud a gunshot can be until a gun is actually fired mere feet from where you were standing. At that moment, Logan wasn't even thinking, he was running on autopilot, and the only thought in his head was Veronica…_

_He was trembling and breathing hard the whole time as he ran in the direction of the house. But then, the sight upon entering had been even worse; Logan completely froze at the sight of Veronica and this man he already knew despised before him. He had his arm hooked around her neck, and the gun…the gun was pointed toward Veronica's side as she looked down and silently cried._

_She blamed herself for this, but Logan didn't. She had no idea what she was getting into; this was just…bad bad luck._

_"My name's Logan…" His voice cracked and yet he managed to cautiously say those words. He'd seen in TV so many times how the killer is less likely to kill you if they knew your name, so Logan gave it a shot himself. "I…I don't know you, but that one you are holding there belongs to me…" Logan said trying to keep his voice as steady as possible._

_Veronica couldn't help the sob that escaped her at his words and that startled Collins. He tightened his hold on her and stepped back suddenly. "The, the phone was ringing. I couldn't pick it up. I couldn't pick it up. I couldn't pick up so I shot it…"_

_Logan's fists clenched at his sides, but he still couldn't help but feel relieved it had been the phone he shot, and not the love of his life. "Tell me what you want me to do?" Logan offered cautiously; he kept his eyes on Collins as he slowly moved closer to him and Veronica._

_Veronica had her eyes shut but the moment Logan spoke again she looked up at him. She tried not to cry but she couldn't. Hers and Logan's eyes met for a split second, and if anything, Veronica knew right then she wasn't alone. He wasn't going to leave her alone._

_"You want to know what I need?" Collins' voice was also trembling as he spoke, and unconsciously he was rubbing the head of the gun against Veronica's side making her even more terrified about this whole ordeal. _

_"Yeah…" Logan replied simply, trying like hell to keep his cool. He hadn't even dial 911 and that was killing him right now as well. He needed to get Veronica to safety but in all honesty; he had no idea how to do that besides trying to talk with this psychopath._

_"I need you to make it all go away. Make it go away. Make it go away. Please just make it go away!" Collins screamed then and again he tightened his hold on Veronica's neck. She let out a cry that made Logan's insides turn. _

_"Let her go…" This time when Logan spoke his voice carried shaky and broken. "Please let her go," He pleaded with tears in his eyes as he walked the final steps closer to Veronica and Collins. Logan reached out to touch Veronica, but Collins yanked her away from him._

_Logan's face fell as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. "You don't want to hurt her. She's just trying to help your brother…"_

_His words made Collins look up at Logan with wary eyes. "Matthew?"_

_Logan simply nodded his head. His eyes darted back and forth between Collins and Veronica. She was shaking, he could tell even if he wasn't the one holding her. She was biting on her lip strongly as to keeping herself from sobbing right there._

_"Yeah. Matthew, and his wife, and baby Nathan," Logan tried saying those words as calmly as he could muster. He even tried to smile at Collins but it made him instead sick to his stomach. _

_"The baby," Collins' voice was broken as he said that. He shook his head pulling Veronica with him. "I didn't mean to hurt him. I didn't. I didn't. I didn't. He was…he was crying. I didn't mean to do anything."_

_In that moment, Veronica's and Logan's eyes met with realization. Shit._

_Logan still tried to hide his surprise. "My car's outside. If you want to we can all go visit your brother and the baby right now. That was why Veronica was here…"_

_Collins was quiet for the longest time, as if processing what Logan had said. "What do you mean?"_

_Logan pretended to be surprised by that question. "What do you mean, what do I mean man? Your brother asked for you so we came. The baby is fine, they found him, and everybody wants you there to celebrate."_

_Collins started to nervously shake his head._

_Veronica shifted her head sideways to look at Collins, and she knew it right then, it was now or never —she had to speak. "The baby is fine," She said softly to Collins. "We can —we can call your brother, ask him to come instead? We'll tell him to bring Nathan, okay?" Veronica knew for a fact now this man was mentally ill and as such he liked his comfort zones —his home, even if he was dying to see Matthew, she knew he'd be too reluctant about leaving his home._

_"How do you like being an Uncle?" Veronica asked him one more time when Collins stopped shaking his head and instead fixed his eyes on hers._

_"Nathan's okay?" Collins asked back instead of answering. Slowly, he was letting go of Veronica's neck, but he still had the gun pointing at her. _

_"Yeah, yes he is." Veronica assured him with no hesitation whatsoever._

_"Is Matthew upset with me?" As he asked that, Collins moved his arm completely from Veronica's neck._

_She let out a shaky breath, before forcing a smile to her face as she looked up again at Collins. He still was gripping the gun, but at least now it was pointing down. _

_Logan fought to urge to reach out for Veronica, and instead answered the man's question. "He's not mad, Alex. He's excited to see you man."_

_Collins nodded his head slowly, and there was even a weak smile on his face then. "Can you get my brother to come?"_

_"Yeah," Veronica said simply as she took a couple steps back slowly. "Do you think you can wait here until we go get him?" Collins started toying with the buttons on his shirt, but still managed a nod in Veronica's direction. "Great, just don't go anywhere. Wait for us, okay?" Veronica said again with a forced smile._

_Collins nodded at her again, but this time much stronger. _

_Logan gripped Veronica's hand as the two of them slowly walked in the direction of the door. Logan ushered Veronica out first, before he nodded at Collins and closed the door after them. He looked at his hand still on the knob of the newly closed door, and he realized then he was shaking terribly. He let out a deep breath and closed his eyes shut before only a second later, Veronica cried, and reached out for him._

_Logan felt the tears in his eyes as well as he hugged her tightly to his chest. "We need to call the police." He breathed out shakily before kissing Veronica's head strongly. _

_She couldn't speak, she couldn't breathe, she couldn't move, she honestly couldn't believe all this had just happened._

_Within seconds Logan walked them back to the car. He held Veronica close to him as he did the call, and the police assured him they would send people over right away._

_"Are you okay?" Logan asked looking down at Veronica as she struggled not to sob anymore on his chest._

_She shook her head strongly a few times before looking up at Logan with red-rimmed eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," She cried before burrowing her head on his chest one more time._

_Seconds later, they could hear already the sirens approaching. Logan held on to Veronica even tighter than before as at least five police cars and an ambulance arrived to the scene._

_After that, things were a blur; officers moved them both from their car and as far from the house as possible. Minutes later, Logan heard two more gunshots that made him wince in horror, but still within moments, a stretcher came out of the house with a very alive Collins kicking and screaming horribly._

_Logan let out a breath at the sight before him and at the girl in his arms —God, he would've died if something had happened to her. "You are okay, Veronica…you are safe now…" Logan whispered into her hair._

_She refused to look anywhere but at Logan. Honestly, never in her life she'd been so scared as today. She looked up at Logan with tears in her eyes, and yet the moment she opened her mouth to say something, nothing came out. _

_She still was trembling, so Logan simply tried for a smile and held him to him strongly one more time. _

_After a small moment, a couple EMTs rushed to them and started asking them question after question. When Logan informed them Veronica was pregnant, they agreed it'd be better to get her check out in the hospital just as a safety measure. Veronica didn't even protest as Logan and the EMTs loaded her in an ambulance, and that in truth worried Logan even if he didn't say anything._

_He instead sat by her in the ambulance, and kept her as close to him as he could. She was shocked, he understood as much, but he still worried._

_xxxx_

_At the hospital, after an initial short exam, they sent Veronica into an examination room to wait for her OB._

_Veronica kept herself together all the while during the exam, and then for a while after she was left alone in the examination room also. She felt so bad. She felt so guilty and ashamed for some reason. Logan was answering some questions outside, but he'd promised to be back as soon as he could._

_Veronica lied back on the examination table and let out a few breaths. She felt exhausted, but at the same time she couldn't even close her eyes; every time she did her mind would start playing all these different scenarios of how things could have been today. How terrible today could have turned out…_

_God…_

_She breathed out, bringing her hands to her face and shaking her head._

_Suddenly, someone walked in the room, and Veronica sat up startled as fast as she could. Her heart started racing immediately but she felt a whole lot better the moment her eyes landed on Logan. _

_"You were expecting someone else?" Logan asked with a smirk trying to light up the mood a little._

_It didn't really work though, since for no reason that she could explain, Veronica felt as though she wanted to cry the second he spoke. "Hey…It's okay…" Logan said softer then, upon the tears that formed in her eyes._

_Veronica let out a watery chuckle as she shook her head. "I know, I'm sorry, I just…"_

_"I know," Logan finished the sentence for her as he moved all the way closer to her. He stood right before Veronica and kissed her forehead sweetly. "Today was just…awful," He admitted with a small nod of his head._

_Veronica looked up at him warily and nodded —she agreed. "Did you find out anything about Alex?"_

_Logan immediately made a face and shook his head. "No, I'm not doing this. Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you. You…God Veronica," Logan exhaled somewhat exasperated as he turned away from Veronica._

_She let out a breath and both were quiet for a small moment._

_Logan was the first one to speak again. "You almost got yourself killed today." Logan reminded her strongly._

_She shook her head at him. He talked to her as though she could forget. "I was there too, you know?" Veronica snapped at him, but the second the words came out she regretted them. She felt like she was going to cry again, so instead of letting the tears fall, she brought her hands to her face._

_Next she knew, Logan was pulling her into his arms and wordlessly she thanked him. "I'm sorry," Logan whispered after a beat._

_Veronica uncovered her face, and looked up him softly. "I'm sorry, too…" She admitted as the two of them —however slightly— smiled at each other. "I didn't know that was going to happen. I had no idea he was…I…I just…I didn't know, Logan…" _

_Veronica was at the edge of tears and hyperventilation again, so Logan crouched down a little so that their eyes were aligned. "It's all right. Calm down. We don't have to talk about this right now." He told her softly squaring her to him with his hands. "You are okay now. We are okay…" He reminded with a smile, and a small kiss to her lips._

_Veronica's tears started falling anyway, but right then she really was just crying for the sake of crying and letting it all out. Logan pulled her into his arms again, and just held her in silence for several minutes until the Doctor walked into the room._

_They were both startled, nonetheless grateful when she was finally here. _

_The Doctor looked somber as she walked into the room though, she tried to smile at the pair, but it didn't come out the slightest bit sincere —she had for sure been informed of everything that happened already._

_Veronica couldn't help herself when she looked at the doctor with dread in her eyes. Right about now was certainly one of those times when Veronica was hating the kind of person she was. She was a pessimistic at heart; she didn't know what looking at the glass half full meant. Nope. It was always half empty. Veronica was always waiting for the other shoe to drop, and right about now, she was completely sure today had been the day that darned shoe had finally dropped._

_What if there was something wrong with the baby? What if the stress had messed it up somehow? Now that she thought about it, it wasn't as if she'd felt it move at all since this morning… Oh God, what if she'd lost the baby, huh? What would she tell Logan? He'd be devastated, he already loved that baby so much…Oh God…_

_Tears stung in her eyes just at the thought. Dammit…only a few months ago this baby wasn't even in her plans, and now suddenly she felt like crying at the thought of losing it? _

_"Are you in any pain?" The Doctor asked then breaking Veronica from her —horrific— trail of thoughts._

_She shook her head in any case. It wasn't a crazy question since she indeed suddenly had tears in her eyes, but still… "No…I…I don't —I'm okay," She stumbled there with the lie._

_Logan looked over at her worriedly, but still didn't say anything. He pulled her head to him and kissed it softly, smiling at her when their eyes met. Even if he was about to be sick with worry, he knew he'd do anything and everything to put Veronica at ease even if he wasn't._

_Veronica rested her head on Logan's shoulder for a small moment then, as the Doctor got ready to Ultrasound machine for her._

_Veronica closed her eyes as they waited, and out of sheer instinct, her hand flew to the bottom of her belly. She'd give anything right now if that baby of theirs decided to move already…_

_"This ultrasound is really just routine procedure —we honestly have no actual reason to be worried," The Doctor said this time forming an actual smile on her face as she said those words._

_Veronica in any case didn't find comfort in those words at all —she indeed had reason to worry. "I haven't felt it," She almost whispered then._

_Logan didn't catch what she said, but the Doctor did._

_"What?"_

_Veronica looked over at Logan nervously before repeating herself. "The baby. I…I haven't felt it move since this morning. I…I've been feeling it often lately…"_

_Logan's color drained from his face and that just about killed Veronica a little. She should have done way more research before heading over to Alex Collins' house. She'd been reckless and impulsive and now perhaps that cost them their baby…_

_The Doctor in any case simply shook her head at Veronica. "That doesn't mean anything," She told her seriously. "You went through serious trauma today —not physical, but certainly mentally." She assured the couple. "Your hormones, the adrenaline rushing through your body, never mind the man pointing a gun at you —those could all be good reasons why you haven't felt the baby –not because he's not moving, but because you had bigger things in your head than the little flutters in your stomach…" The Doctor stated with all the authority years of doing this job gave her._

_Logan agreed with her wholeheartedly. Veronica on the other hand —not completely, but she still was trying hard to do it. _

_"Lay down, okay? Let's just check on that baby and see for ourselves how she's doing. Okay?"_

_Veronica hesitated for a moment, but then nodded her head when Logan took her hand and squeezed it gently. They didn't say anything, but just as the doctor asked Veronica to lift her shirt and pull down her skirt a little, Logan kissed her head strongly and Veronica knew right then he was wishing right now the very same thing she was —a healthy baby._

_Only a moment later, the Doctor already had the wand over Veronica's stomach and she was moving it around._

_Shit, shit, shit, shit, she couldn't look. Veronica turned her head to the other side and closed her eyes strongly. She didn't want to see that screen empty. She refused to see it empty; she'd rather not see anything at all than an emp—_

_Wait, what was that? "What's that noise?" Veronica asked suddenly, as her head snapped in the direction of the screen._

_She searched for the Doctor's eyes frantically then, and the doctor was smiling. "That's your baby's heartbeat. Nice and strong. You two have nothing to worry about." She promised as she did some more clicks and made some annotations._

_"Jesus Christ, baby…" Veronica breathed out, looking at the screen before turning to Logan. He didn't wait for her to process it all before he was already kissing her lips strongly. Veronica felt the salty on his lips, and it broke her heart. "Silly, stubborn baby. He probably takes after you…" Veronica assured him with a small smile, as Logan pulled back and their foreheads met._

_They stayed like that, only for a short moment before the Doctor spoke. "Actually," She said, and both Logan and Veronica turned to her. "**She **probably takes after him."_

_"A girl?" Logan asked quietly, feeling a little awestruck at the information._

_Doctor was smiling as she nodded her head._

_Veronica's eyes watered at the sight of the baby on the screen —her daughter? — and while she did hate a little the softy she'd became, she knew if there ever was a good time to cry with emotion, that time was right now. Up until today she hadn't even known she cared so much about that baby of hers, but…oh God she did…_

_"The baby has changed a lot since you two last saw her. See this?" The Doctor said pointing to a corner on the screen. Both Logan and Veronica nodded their heads at the same time. "That's one of the legs —she has legs now…"_

_Crap, it did look like a leg. "Guess she's not a blob anymore…" Veronica thought aloud as she looked at the tiny leg. _

_The Doctor in any case simply smiled and kept pointing out parts of the baby's body. "That's the head…and her spine, her femur…here are her arms, and that flickering there is her heart beating…everything looks great." She stated one more time, and though she wasn't looking at him, Veronica could feel Logan relaxing at her side._

_In spite of everything, now at least she could say for sure today hadn't turned out as bad as it could have. She was okay. Logan was okay. Their baby was okay. And for better or for worse, Alex Collins hadn't been hurt, and if anything, this ordeal must be enough to finally crack baby Nathan's case for once and for all…_

_"I don't see why we should worry, but I'm still recommending you take a least a few days off…"_

_Out of raw instinct, Veronica cringe, and neither Logan or the Doctor could ignore her face._

_"I know that's not what you want to hear, but…it's for your baby…"_

_Veronica could feel all the stares on her as she still was looking at the frozen image of that little gremlin inside her. After a moment, she lowered her head and bit her lip before feeling Logan take her hand into his. She lifted her eyes to meet his. "No case is more important than a kid," Veronica told him reluctantly then, even though after a moment a small smile crept to her lips. "Especially if said kid is inside me."_

_Logan chuckled slightly at her words, but honestly was so glad he didn't need to convince her into taking time off. "I'll take a couple of days off with you. How about that?"_

_Veronica didn't answer with words, but simply nodded her head. She meant what she said. It was sad it took such a big scare for her to realize it, but even if this baby wasn't born yet, she still loved and cared for her a whole lot already…That was kind of like a fact now…_

_"Just make sure she's as relaxed as possible," The Doctor chimed in then looking just at Logan as she spoke. "If you feel any kind of pain, call us and let us now, if it gets worse, then come in. Understood?"_

_"Noted." Veronica told her with a nod as she started cleaning her stomach then. She looked over as the doctor printed some of the pictures of the baby. Damn, it still didn't hit her, she was going to have a daughter…wow…_

_Xxxx_

_Logan and Veronica didn't make it to their apartment until well after seven that evening. There had been paperwork to fill, police officers to talk to over and over again, but still in the end, when they finally made it home, they were both just so glad._

_Logan wanted more but to crawl into bed right away, but Veronica was hungry and she wasn't shy about letting him know as much. So in the end, even when they still felt heavy from today, they still made themselves enjoy a quiet dinner before bedtime._

_It was around two in the morning that Veronica woke up still wrapped in Logan's arms. She smiled at the safe feeling he gave her, but still couldn't help but shake her head at the thoughts plaguing her mind. She couldn't stop thinking about Alex Collins and just everything they've been through today._

_Veronica tried to move from Logan then, but as soon as she tried, he tightened his hold on her and didn't let her go. "Are you okay?" He mumbled in his sleep, making Veronica smile in spite of feeling guilty for waking him up._

_"Go to sleep, Logan…" She whispered before leaning up a little, and kissing his lips. "I'm just going to get some water."_

_Logan was quiet with his eyes closed for a moment, before he just made himself open them. "I'll get it for you…don't move…" He croaked out groggily as he got out of bed, and blindly went to the kitchen for her water._

_Veronica was sitting up in bed when he came back —a little more awake now. "Thank you…" She told him softly as she received the cup from him. "Sorry I woke you," She added as Logan crawled back into bed by her._

_"Nah, it's okay…" He told her sincerely, and for a few moments after that, neither said a word as Veronica drank a few sips from her water. "You wanna talk to me about what happened?"_

_Veronica closed her eyes at his words, but still knew that was bound to happen. She'd talked to the police but not to Logan yet —he still didn't know what happened in those few minutes before he barged into the house to save her._

_Veronica let out a sigh then, but still managed a smile when Logan leaned over and cupped her cheeks. "I'm so glad you are okay…"_

_"Yeah, yeah you too…" She told him back sincerely, before the two of them shared a kiss. It was like a courage kiss of some sort for Veronica —it somehow was powerful enough to help her say all this to him for once and for all. "Today I…I don't know how to explain what got into me. I…I think I just, I froze," She explained Logan uneasily._

_Logan in any case just nodded his head with understanding. "When I first walked into the house he seemed normal, I swear. Alex was polite and smiley, but then like two minutes in, the phone rang and he lost it. I was sitting down and all of a sudden he started screaming at the phone and then at me to make it stop, but before I could as much as get to the phone he grabbed the gun from the other room." Veronica's voice broke as she said that, and she squeezed her eyes shut._

_"It's all right…" Logan told her comfortingly stroking her hand. _

_It took Veronica only a few seconds after that before she started talking again. "I swear to God I have no idea what happened to me, but when he came with the gun I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe…I just stood there as he lashed out on me." She confessed sincerely. "He screamed for a few minutes while the phone kept ringing and then all of a sudden he just fired the gun…" _

_Logan gasped at that. Note-to-self: never leave her alone again… ever _

_"There was a moment when he turned away from me frustrated, but it was then when I did to leave that he grabbed me. He pointed the gun to my head for a couple of minutes before you came in. I…I was terrified. All the while all I could think about was…"_

_"What?"_

_"You," Veronica told him honestly. She looked at him with tears in her eyes as she relieved those moments one more time. "I thought about you, and the baby. My Dad," She added swallowing hard. "I just couldn't stop thinking in what would happen if he'd pull the trigger and that was it for me…"_

_Logan shook his head strongly as Veronica spoke. "Stop," He pleaded her quietly. It was selfish he thought, but honestly, Logan couldn't hear any of that anymore. "Shit happens. It sucks that it happened to us today, but it's okay…we are okay now…" He repeated again as it were a new mantra of his._

_Veronica understood that, she too was trying to make herself believe they really were okay now. She then nodded at him and didn't complain when Logan pulled her back into his arms._

_His next words came a few minutes later. "Can you believe we are going to have a daughter?"_

_Ah, Veronica sincerely did love the change of subject here —she loved it even more when slowly Logan moved his hand down and placed it on her small belly. "No," Veronica laughed anyway, looking up at Logan slightly —she so still couldn't believe it. "Can you?"_

_Logan made a face —as though she were crazy; of course he could. "I have no idea what a healthy father-son relationship looks like. I, on the other hand, have seen your dad and you for a while, so…I don't know, maybe that'll help. I…I'll try my best," He promised as his voice suddenly turned quiet._

_Veronica tilted her head looking right into his eyes for a good moment before she simply smiled. "I want you to remember this moment a few years from now okay?"_

_Logan looked at her warily. "Okay…" He agreed anyway. He honestly knew better than to disagree right now._

_"You are going to be a good father. I know it." She told him in earnest, yet still sounding a tiny bit playful. "Don't sell yourself short. You've grown so much, you know? You are a very good man, and you'll make an even better Dad. You even saved us both today…" Veronica reminded him softly, because what the heck, painful and all, but it was the truth… "That little girl is not even born yet, but she owes you her life already…" Just as Veronica did, to be honest._

_Logan smiled at Veronica's words —it really was the best thing in the world having that lady of his on his side, trusting him and loving him so…_

_"Logan…" Veronica called his name softly then._

_She was serious, but not in a bad way._

_"This baby is not going to leave the house till she's thirty, isn't she?"_

_Logan closed his eyes and shook his head ever so slightly at her words. Right then he honestly thanked whoever was listening for her. She was joking, she was mocking him, and that, after a day like today, made him the happiest._

_"Forty," He corrected Veronica with a laugh of his own as Veronica chuckled away burrowing her face on his chest._

_However, right when Logan was about to say something else after a beat, something happened and he froze on his spot. _

_"What is that?" Logan asked suddenly looking at Veronica as confused as ever._

_She stopped laughing then and followed his wide eyes to that hand of his that was still resting on her stomach. She then matched his confused face. "Do **you** feel it?" She asked him, as slowly a smile started forming on her lips._

_Logan looked down again at his hand and the pressure he was feeling against it —Holy shit, that was the baby…_

_Talk about shit getting real…_

_Logan needed to work on that cursing though —there was a baby in the picture now for God's sake!_

_"Do you feel that?" Logan pretty much mumbled then, keeping his hand firmly placed on Veronica's stomach. And he actually knew that was the dumbest question in the history of questions, but he wanted to say something, and that was the first time that came out._

_Veronica in any case just nodded her head slightly at him, before she leaned in and kissed his forehead. "I love you dummy…" She promised with a silly smile before scooting down on the bed, and nestling her head on Logan's chest. _

_Logan felt a lump in his throat, but it so wasn't the bad kind._

_In any case, he then only did what any other man as terribly lucky as him would have done; he used his free hand to hold Veronica even closer to him, and kept the other one on their tiny baby as she kept kicking away for another while._

_If this wasn't heaven on earth, then Logan had no idea what else could it be…_

_"Love you too goofball…"_

_xxxx_

_Logan wasn't dumb, he'd known Veronica for oh-so many years that there was really very little she could hide from him. Today she'd been especially jumpy and somehow just…zoned out a lot. Veronica thought he didn't know what was up with her, but she honestly should know better by now._

_"Go on…get your phone…"_

_"What?" Veronica asked him back confused. She sat up on the bed, and knelt down on it staring at Logan. "What are you talking about?" She could pretend to be clueless, right? There was no harm in that._

_Logan in any case, just smirked at her as he tried like hell not to laugh. "Get your phone. You are dying to call your office, so…do it." He told her sounding oh-so smugly,_

_"I don't—"_

_"You are dying to call them, Veronica. Go on. It's all right. This case is important to you, I get that, you should know how it turned out…" Logan told her a little softer then as he moved by her on the bed._

_Veronica frowned at him. "I'm not going to call." She pouted, trying oh so really hard to keep her promise. "I told you I'd forget about work for a few days, so…I'll do it. It's for the gremlin remember?" She said, not really buying her own words._

_When Logan stayed quiet, Veronica guardedly looked back up at him. "I'm not going to call, so just…drop it, okay…" She said trying to sound convincing._

_Logan in any case didn't say anything. The silence was just about driving her crazy and he knew it._

_"Logan!" Veronica cried playfully, before Logan finally broke his posture and laughed._

_"I mean it, V…A phone call is not going to hurt the baby. And I really don't mind…"_

_Veronica stared into Logan's eyes for some good few seconds, before she spoke. "You really don't?"_

_"Nope…" Logan told her sincerely with a small shake of his head._

_Veronica in all honesty couldn't love him more right now. "Uh, I love you!" She almost squealed as she strongly cupped his cheeks and kissed him. Needlessly to say she was stumbling out of bed and toward her phone as fast as her feet took her._

_Logan stared at her from the bed as she sat on the small desk in the room, and dialed away. Truth was, he too wanted to know how this whole mess had ended._

_It was maybe around fifteen minutes later when Veronica finally hung up her phone. Logan had started reading a book, but when she stopped talking, he put it down. "So?"_

_Veronica crawled his way to him in bed, and shrugged her shoulders. "Alex was diagnosed with __schizophrenia…" Veronica started talking then. Logan's eyes went a little wide, but he still didn't interrupt but kept listening. "Schizophrenia's genetically passed —apparently their mom had it but they didn't know. Matthew had no idea. When they told him, he finally spoke about what really happened with Nathan." Veronica paused for a moment thinking in how even when the case was technically solved, the nightmare for that family certainly continued._

_"Matthew said he got a call from Alex that day around noon —he said Alex didn't sound good at all, so he packed the baby and headed his way. When he got there, Alex was having a bit of a fit. He was acting out of it…and was complaining about a headache, so Matthew actually left the house for a few minutes when he went to his car to get some medicine. He'd let the baby napping upstairs in the master bedroom…" Logan placed his hand on her knee and squeezed it when Veronica trailed off. She smiled sadly at him. "He swears he was gone for less than three minutes, but…when he came back however–" Her voice cracked and Veronica couldn't help it. She made herself keep going though. "He got to hear the baby crying, so he rushed upstairs to the bedroom but…it was too late. When he entered the room Alex was holding the baby upside down, and was shaking him strongly and screaming at it to stop —the baby had by then already stopped crying…" Veronica bit on her lip and looked down at that belly of hers. It had been an accident —an awful, tragic, but still nonetheless an accident. An unfortunate series of events that could have been prevented, yes… but…well…now it was just too late._

_"What's going to happen to Matthew?" Logan's question brought Veronica back to reality._

_"He lied. He covered up for Alex, so…he is going to trial, but…he won't be charged with murder anymore. At this point we are probably going to be able to get a good enough deal for him, but still…you know? Case's solved, but baby's still…gone…"_

_Logan nodded his head in understanding. "This case really sucked…"_

_"Yeah…it did indeed…"_

_xxxx_

It was now already 6pm on Elizabeth's and Logan's birthday day. So far the two of them had had a pretty good day. Veronica was trying to make herself believe that at least. Earlier they had gone to the beach and Veronica had taken some awesome shots of the little one and also of Logan. He had of course made her promise they would go take some professional photos as a family so that she too could be in the pictures, and while reluctantly —_she liked it better to be behind the camera than on the pictures_—, Veronica had agreed. After all, she also wanted cute pictures with her cute daughter, so it hadn't been that hard of a battle to convince her.

Right now Elizabeth was napping, but they were going to wake her up soon. Logan was out buying the cakes, but as soon as he got home, they were supposed to wake up the little one, and let the official fest of their birthdays begin.

Veronica had just brought some plates and cups from the pantry to the living room, when the front door opened, and Logan walked in with the cake. Finally. "You found it?" She asked him with a tiny grin on her face. Truth was, even if it was Logan's birthday, she'd sent him in search of _her _favorite cake. Logan didn't care; Veronica knew this so it really wasn't a big deal.

In any case, after a moment, Logan matched her smile and nodded simply. "Got two." He told her as he walked to the table. "Elizabeth can munch on this one all by herself," He said opening the smaller box and placing the small cake on the center of the table. "And you and I can share this one." He said as he opened the other one. When Logan looked up at Veronica, she was smiling, but…not just smiling, smiling a really happy smile and that made him happy also. "Are you feeling sentimental Veronica Mars?" Logan asked her then in only a half-playful tone. He had actually been waiting all day for her to get emotional on him. Not that she did it often —_not at all_— but today was a special day, so yeah, she was allowed.

Veronica however, just twisted her lips, looking into his eyes intently. "Maybe next year we'll bake her a cake from scratch. What do you think?"

Logan shrugged his shoulders at her, with a smirk on his face. "I think we are doing a good job Veronica…" He told her instead of answering her question. He actually had a point. "I know I was just as panicked as I was excited about having Elizabeth, but…a whole year has gone by, and while not a walk in the park every day, we've done all right, I think. She's such a _happy_ baby, V…" He stated as if just that alone should tell Veronica just how well they were doing. "Please tell me you agree at least with that?"

He sounded a little pathetic when he asked than, but still that made her smile. She didn't want him to ever think she didn't think they were doing a good job with their kid —as a matter of fact, Veronica _never _doubted Logan when it came to Elizabeth, and the way he fathered her. She on the other hand, well, she did doubt herself a lot. Especially when it came to work, and managing her time at the firm, and her time at home. She still needed to work on that, but Logan…he was a _great_ Dad. She knew that. And actually, Logan should know it as well. "I agree with that," Veronica assured him simply at last. "And I also agree with everything else you said. I really do." She told him, as she walked to him, and out of mere instinct, Logan reached out for her, and they hugged. "I agree that having her has been more rewarding and amazing, than I ever envisioned it would be." Shyly, Veronica looked up at his eyes, and he was grinning. "And I think Elizabeth is really lucky to have you. You are a _really_ great dad, you know? I wasn't wrong…you were wrong doubting it…" She teased even though she was being serious. Logan had doubted himself so much before the baby was born, heck, before she was even conceived, but…none, not one of his fears had come true. He'd been scared about not bonding with the baby, about not knowing how to love or even play with an infant, but none of that had happened. He'd surprised everybody —_even himself_— with the relationship he had with the baby. She was his life, and that was a fact.

"Thank you for that," Logan whispered then, serious enough, and in earnest.

It was uncalled for, though.

"You know what?" Veronica said suddenly. Logan just shot her a look at the question. "I'm thinking we _need_ to go get Elizabeth if we want her to sleep at all tonight, but…first I gotta tell you something," Logan narrowed his eyes at that. "It's not bad." Veronica warned before his mind could start wander to bad places.

"Okay, do tell then…"

Veronica smiled at him softly, and tilted her head. "Don't freak out, but…" Actually, he _was _freaking out, but she was still smiling, so maybe it wasn't so bad. "I think we are adults now," As the words came out of her mouth, Veronica couldn't help the laugh that escaped.

"You suck." Logan told her, shaking his head ever so slightly. He'd gotten to think she was going to say something really bad to be honest.

In any case, after a moment's pause, he let himself smile as well, as he pulled Veronica to him one more time, and kissed her head. "I still love you though…" He whispered into her hair, making Veronica smile.

She looked up at him and shrugged her shoulders making a face. "Eh," She whined playfully, before she too shook her head. "I'm kidding…I…I love you too dork…" She sighed, smiling up at him. They shared a look for a few moments before Veronica just pulled away. "Go get the kid, okay? I can't wait to see her stuffing that chocolate cake all over her face," She admitted with a laugh as Logan did as she told him.

Only a few minutes later, Logan walked back into the room holding Elizabeth's hand as she slowly wobbled into the room. She still looked sleepy, but her face lit up when she saw her mommy. Veronica smiled at her as well as she snapped a picture of that father and daughter she loved so much. She put the camera down then and went to grab her little girl. "You ready for cake?"

Elizabeth tilted her head looking at Veronica's eyes. Truth was, she didn't know what cake was.

"Hmm…" Veronica murmured mostly to herself as she realized that. "You know what Elle, your mind is about to be _blown_ little girl," Veronica said jokingly, hearing Logan laugh as he walked into the room now with the candles in his hands. "Happy birthday," Veronica whispered softly then into Elizabeth's soft cheek, pulling her face close to hers.

"Keep it together, Mars…" Logan joked as he walked past them, and saw the way Veronica was holding their little girl. She was getting bigger, but that so didn't make her any less their baby. That was never going to change, and Logan certainly knew as much.

In the end, after taking a deep breath, and holding Elizabeth for a little while longer, Veronica took the baby to her high chair.

"Veronica wait!" Logan called, startling, not only Veronica but Elizabeth as well.

"What?" She asked him back, with wide eyes.

Logan shook his head and laughed feeling a little sorry. "I just wanted to take a picture of the two of you before you put her down," He explained softly then.

Veronica rolled her eyes at him, but still smiled. "Fine. Do it." She told him and Logan scurried off to get the camera from the other room.

"Daddy!" Elizabeth squeaked when Logan left.

Veronica turned to her shaking her head a little. "He'll be right back," She assured her daughter simply. "He's going to take a picture of us, so…smile pretty okay Elizabeth?"

And just as if on cue, Elizabeth grinned perfectly. "Pity!" She giggled in her attempt to say '_pretty'_

Veronica matched her giggle, and nodded. "Yeah, that's the smile. Good girl." Veronica promised, kissing her baby girl's cheek as Logan came back.

"Ready?" He asked as he pointed the SLR in the direction of the girls. "Say…cheeky monkey!"

After the picture was snapped, Veronica placed Elizabeth on her high chair and kissed her on the head again. She then noted as Logan set the camera to record, and while she wouldn't have thought to do that, she didn't tell him anything either. One day Elizabeth would maybe like to see that video.

Logan walked over to stand by Elizabeth just as Veronica was at her other side. Logan gave Veronica a nod, and she hung her head.

"You want me to sing?"

Logan didn't even have to pronounce a word, he just looked at her steadily, and Veronica got the answer she needed.

She let out a sigh. "Fine…" She whispered in fake defeat. She took a moment looking at the two of them before starting to sing though… "Happy Birthday to you two goofballs…" Veronica said sincerely with a smile right before she and Logan shared a kiss over Elizabeth's head. "Don't forget to make a wish,"

Elizabeth looked up at the two of them and made a goofy face before bursting out in giggles and clapping her hands happily.

Yup, they surely were not kids anymore, now _they _were the adults _with _the kiddos of their own. Oh well…even if her seventeen-year-old self would most likely laugh at her if Veronica told her _this_ was how her life was going to look like at thirty, she still wouldn't take back anything —_anything_, that led them to this moment.

* * *

**AN : Next chapter they are going to go back to Neptune so you'll get a bit of everyone else then! :) Thank you so much for reading!**


	6. Chapter Six - Why, Hello There Stranger

**Author's Note : **First off, Merry Christmas & Happy New Years! I hope you all are having a nice holiday season! Here things are a bit hectic, hence the late update but still...here's a new chapter before the end of the year! I hope you guys like it! Thank you so so much for reading and for the feedback! See you all in 2014! :)

**Chapter Six - Why, Hello There Stranger...**

* * *

The thing was, no one ever told them how the older their child got, the harder it was going to be to travel with her. Veronica so did not see this one coming. Once upon a time when Elizabeth was barely a month old and Veronica and Logan did the first trip to California with her, they thought _that _was going to be hard. In the end, the truth of the matter had been that it hadn't been _that _bad. Back then they took turns holding Elizabeth, fed her when she got hungry and just like that the five hour trip literally, flew by. Now however, Elizabeth was one year and a half old, and already had big —_big_— opinions. As soon as the three of them got on the airplane, she decided she wasn't going to like this. Even when they didn't have to yet —_Elizabeth wasn't two yet_— Logan and Veronica paid for her own seat in hopes of Elizabeth being more comfortable.

Turn out the kid was having none of that. All she wanted was her mom to hold her, and the very instant the flight attendant barely came close to them to ask for the baby to be buckled up, Elizabeth screamed a scream not Logan, nor Veronica had ever heard from her. "Okay…" Veronica said looking down at Elizabeth wrapped in her arms. She let out a breath before she looked back up at the attendant, with an apologetic half smile on her face. "She didn't get to nap, so she's a little cranky, but we got her…" Veronica assured the attendant simply before turning back to her daughter and ignoring the few looks she was getting. Thankfully, Elizabeth wasn't the only baby on the plane, so at least some of the people understood the situation and weren't judging her parenting on her pre-toddler.

Oh God, if Elizabeth was like this at twenty months, Veronica could only imagine how she would be on her actual twos…and threes…Oh God help them…

"It's safer if she gets buckled up—"

"We got her." Logan jumped in there before the attendant could say anything else. "Why don't you go do your job somewhere else? We got our daughter, thank you." He said seriously, and while a bit rude, he wasn't sorry. That attendant was picking on Elizabeth and Logan so wasn't going to let that happen —not matter how much of a tiny pain Elizabeth was being.

When Logan spoke, Elizabeth lifted up her face from Veronica's chest and turned her head so that she was looking over at her Daddy. There was a spare seat between them —_her seat_— and when she looked at him, Logan reached out his hand over the free seat and gently stroked Elizabeth's cheek. "What are we going to do with you, huh Elle?"

Elizabeth didn't say anything but instead rested her head back on Veronica, all the while keeping her eyes on Logan. Veronica looked back and forth between the baby and Logan for a small moment before she let out a sigh. "It's going to be a long trip…" She confessed quietly as she and Logan shared a look.

He nodded.

"That was rude, though…" Veronica told him with a knowing look.

Logan made a face and shook his head. "No it wasn't." He assured her smugly. "That attendant should have just done her job —give away toy wings or whatever treat they are supposed to give children, instead she was picking on Elizabeth and that wasn't fair…" He stated quite seriously before he moved from his seat at the aisle, to the middle one. He leaned closer to the girls and gave them both a kiss, as he buckled up —Elizabeth wasn't going to use the seat apparently so Logan might as well be closer to them, right?

"Whatever you say…" Veronica said then with a smile. She looked down at the baby and rubbed her little back in small circle motions. "You know what's going to be the best part of this trip?" Veronica asked Logan after a moment even though her eyes were still down on Elizabeth.

Logan thought for a moment before shaking his head. Truth was he wasn't all that sure about this trip in the first place —_and it wasn't exactly because he wasn't looking forward to see Keith_ —he actually, was—, but it was the whole high school reunion part that he didn't like all that much. Why did they have to go anyway? Logan honestly was happier just not thinking about high school at all, but…Oh well…they were on the plane already and apparently there was a '_best part'_ to this trip according to Veronica so let's hear it… "What is it?"

Veronica shifted her eyes to his. "We get free babysitting." She said trying to contain her smile. Truth was, she wasn't all that sure about the reunion either, but what the hell, she had given in to peer pressure. They had already skipped the ten-year reunion a few years ago, so this time it had been hard to skip it as well— Everybody wanted to see Elizabeth so Veronica had given in. And well, yes, not _everybody_ wanted to see the baby, but her Dad did of course, and Wallace and Mac, so for them, it was kind of worth it to come, Veronica thought.

"Dad's going to love to spend some alone time with her, so you and I…" Veronica said goofily pointing to the two of them. "Are going to take him up on his offer…as many times as possible," She added, forming on her face one of those cute half-smiles Logan simply felt as though he had to kiss.

"When you put it like that it really does sound…"

"How…?" Veronica asked him playfully when he trailed off smirking.

Logan gave himself a moment before answering. "It sounds less awful…" He admitted sincerely before the two of them laughed.

"It's going to be fine, right?" Veronica asked him softly after a few minutes. Elizabeth had started to suck her thumb, and was finally growing sleepy in her arms.

Logan in any case just turned his head to Veronica and nodded. "Yeah." He assured her simply.

And seriously, what could go wrong, right?

Then again, this was Neptune though, so maybe they shouldn't have been so sure…

xxxx

"_A dog_? You got her _a dog_?" A dog! Honestly Veronica couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe her eyes let alone accept what had just happened. Did her Dad really just give her daughter a dog? A dog! "A dog!?"

"Veronica," Keith turned to look at his daughter with his eyes narrowed. What was the big deal? "Stop it. It's just a puppy."

"Daddy," She whined back turning only briefly to see Elizabeth all enchanted and happy playing with the dog. "What were you thinking?" Veronica's voice was a few tads too high as she spoke.

Keith looked at her strangely before turning to Logan and sharing a look with the other man. Logan shrugged his shoulders though, as though telling him to just deal with her. Veronica was _his _daughter after all. "I wasn't thinking anyth—"

"Well, clearly you weren't…" Veronica spat, before forming a pout with her lips and looking down. This wasn't a present to Elizabeth, this was more work…and certainly not for the baby…

"Veronica, it's a dog. _You _had dogs all your life, and you loved it. I…I just thought Elizabeth should have the same thing…" Keith explained calmly, and at last Veronica took a breath and stopped looking at him as though he were crazy.

The truth of the matter was that Keith was somewhat right, she did love dogs, she actually even missed having a dog in her life since she'd been living with Logan, but…now they had the baby, and she was a lot of work, and a doggy was a lot of work too, and she…she just wasn't sure how they could make it work.

"That's very sweet…" Veronica said at last, retracting her claws. "But I wish you'd asked us first…" She added pointedly, looking at Keith right in the eye.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head playfully in any case. "It's done sweetie. Dog is Elizabeth's…look how happy she is?" He said pointing at the baby crawling all over the living room chasing after the small pup.

Veronica smiled for a second before letting out a breath. "What do you think?" She asked looking over at Logan. Veronica couldn't help but roll her eyes when she saw the boyish smile Logan was wearing. Okay, so apparently she was alone in this one. Great. Just great.

"Ellie!" Logan called the baby instead of answering the question right away. "Elizabeth, baby!" He called again until Elizabeth turned her attention from the puppy to her Daddy.

Veronica smiled at the smile Elizabeth was wearing —it was just like Logan's.

"Ellie, do you like the puppy?"

"Puppy!" Elizabeth chirped before clapping her hands happily and going back to her chasing.

Logan smiled at her before turning to Veronica. "I vote the puppy stays too." He said smirking knowing Veronica would have love it for him to take her side, but really, how could he resist that little puppy?

In any case, Veronica just breathed out at his words. "Fine." She bit out looking back and forth between Logan and her Dad. "We'll take it, but…she's _one_ dad, you could've at least waited till she was old enough to you know? Train the thing; take him out on walks, all that stuff…" Veronica said matter or factly before she moved closer to Elizabeth and knelt down on the floor by her and the puppy. She smiled at her daughter but then before she started playing with Elizabeth she looked back up at her Dad and gave him one of those looks that could nearly kill. "You still should know I'm so not happy about this," She stressed before grabbing the small puppy and showing Elizabeth how to pet it.

Logan looked at Keith as he tried like heck not to smile; both men shared a look one more time and laughed. Those were _their _girls, ladies and gentleman…

xxxx

Baby bathed, changed, and down for the day? Check.

Dressed for the occasion? Check.

Hair and make-up done? Check.

Significant other looking as handsome as ever? Check.

Emergency numbers on a post it on the fridge? Check.

Veronica squinted her eyes thinking hard in what she could be forgetting. Back in New York, they had one babysitter –just one, and she was…okay. Even if Elizabeth wasn't an infant anymore, hardly a baby anymore, Veronica still felt wary about just leaving her with strangers. Of course it was an understatement to say she had at least three cameras on their home to make sure Elizabeth was being treated as she should, but still, she'd rather her kid not staying with sitters if she could help it.

Leaving Elizabeth with Keith though? That usually was okay, and even easy —she trusted Keith, the babysitters…not so much. Plus he was _so_ good with her, but…today things were different. Elizabeth had been a little too clingy since they arrived to California, plus, of course, she was jetlagged, and cranky, and just not being the easiest cookie today.

In any case, she was sleeping now, so everything was going to be okay, right?

Right?

With a sigh, Veronica checked her makeup one more time before heading to the kitchen. Her Dad wasn't there, neither was Logan, but someone was. Veronica made herself smile slightly as she looked up at the older woman. "I feel like I should apologize for the lungs my kid has…" Veronica said lightly, scrunching up her nose as she spoke.

"She was fine," Alicia assured her, but Veronica still shook her head.

"No she wasn't. She was _bonkers_ tonight." Veronica admitted seriously. "She's usually not that fussy. There has to be a full moon tonight, I swear…" She joked, making Alicia smile at her.

"You don't have to apologize for her though." Alicia assured Veronica then. "She's a baby; believe it or not, they too have bad days and good days. I'm sure she'll be better in the morning, but even if she's not…it's okay…we actually love having you guys here at home…"

Veronica took all those words at heart. Alicia was a good person. She was good to her dad, and to Elizabeth, and to Logan…she was just a good person, and Veronica would be lying if she denied how glad it made her her Dad had Alicia, and wasn't all by himself here in Neptune.

"You and my Dad…you look…happy…" Veronica noted, twisting her lips a little. Why was it so hard for her to compliment people, huh? She let out a breath as Alicia just nodded and smiled.

"You and Logan do too…" She pointed out making Veronica blush a little.

Ah right. It wasn't just _giving_ compliments that she had trouble with —_taking_ them too.

Oh well.

"He's really good with the baby…"

Veronica shrugged her shoulders slightly. "You sound surprised."

"No it's not that." Alicia replied quickly. "It's just…very nice to see him so committed to you and Elizabeth."

Veronica nodded at that. It _was_ nice.

"Has it hit you yet?" Alicia asked then a little too cryptically. Veronica couldn't help but narrow her eyes at her.

"What exactly?"

"That you have a family of your own now. That you don't have to worry anymore, because you are never going to have to deal with things by yourself anymore…"

Veronica stared into Alicia's eyes, as she tried to process that.

Alicia smiled at her innocently, and shrugged her shoulders. Ever since she'd known Veronica she'd seen those walls she kept up for almost everybody outside of her Dad. This time when Alicia had seen Veronica, she'd seen less of those walls. She saw a fairly happy Veronica —even with the screaming baby, she seemed to be handling it all okay with Logan. They were a team, and Alicia had been able to see as much in the less than twenty-four hours that they've been back in Cali.

In the end, Veronica just shrugged her shoulders as well. "I think it has…"

Yeah, that was what Alicia thought. She grinned as she walked closer to Veronica and without giving the tiny blonde a chance to object, she wrapped her arms around her. Veronica was stiffed for only a moment, before she reached out and wrapped her arms around Alicia's back as well.

So Veronica didn't have a mom, she had an Alicia, and since she honestly was as good as it came in the mom thing, Veronica in truth could not complain.

In any case, right then before Veronica could as much as tell Alicia thank you as she wanted, Keith marched into the kitchen with Logan in tow. He was smirking goofily when his eyes met with those of Veronica.

"You ready?" Logan asked then, looking at Veronica.

She shared a look with her Dad before nodding at Logan. "Everything okay?"

"Oh yeah," Keith answered rather quickly walking to his daughter. "Your boy and I, you know, just having a talk…"

"Uh, huh…" Veronica told him sarcastically, as Keith wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and kissed the side of her head. Veronica let out a breath before looking over at her Dad in the eye. "Call me if Elizabeth wakes up, okay?" Veronica pleaded with an uneasy face; she hadn't been able to help herself, after the crappy day her baby had had, she felt a little guilty about leaving.

Logan however, read so much more to those words she said. Suddenly his eyes went wide with realization and he shook his own head. "Oh no, we _are_ going to…this reunion, date thing, whatever." He rambled walking to Veronica and holding her by her shoulders. "Elizabeth _is_ fine." Logan assured her knowing Veronica was inwardly fighting the urge to stay. "What happened with free babysitting, huh?"

"That's what she said?" Keith chimed in at that.

Logan turned to him and nodded before quickly looking back at Veronica. He loved their daughter just as much, but she was sleeping, and actually okay, so…really Veronica didn't have a reason to be so worried. "Let's go okay…" Logan knew that if they waited any longer Veronica _could _suggest they stayed instead, and Logan didn't want that. He wanted the night off; he wanted to be with his girl…even at the lame high school thing…

Veronica puffed before making herself grin. "You win. But we have to go _now_…"

And so they did. As soon as Veronica spoke, Logan started walking them to the door as they said their goodbyes.

Maybe five minutes later they were already on the road, and on the way to the event place. They were mostly quiet, but that in all honesty wasn't a bad thing. It was nice to just take in everything around them. Let them both process their lives now —it was funny being back in Neptune, driving through all those familiar streets that now felt so foreign. _They _were so different and in some way, the town seemed the same…

In any case, while Logan did a very good job driving, sadly enough they didn't make it to the event place. But in truth it wasn't that sad, since deep inside neither was all that excited about this reunion to begin with, so maybe it had been for the best.

Instead, Logan drove them to a dark parking lot —it actually was less creepy than it sounded. He wanted to be alone with her, and that had been a place they had been before —granted, a few too many years ago, but still…

And so, before Veronica could process the whole thing, they were on the back of the car, she was sitting on his lap, and he was kissing her.

Yet another thing to check off her to-do list for sure. _Making out with her longtime boyfriend on the backseat of her Dad's car as if they were seventeen again? Check and check again._

"Relax…" Logan whispered into her mouth, as he stopped kissing her just for a moment. She never stopped thinking, and while that was cute and endearing sometimes, it was also not so great when he was trying to kiss her.

Veronica swallowed hard before pulling from him a little, and resting her forehead on his. She brought one of her hands up and gently stroked his cheek. "I love you…" She promised softly, before pressing her lips against Logan's again. Her kiss was sweet as opposed to his hungry ones, but still both kind held the same amount of sentiment.

Once upon a time, a long time ago, also in a car, also in a parking lot, he'd told her he loved her for the very first time, and she hadn't been able to say it back. Now…well, now she wasn't as insecure anymore. Now she actually believed in Logan, and his feelings towards her. And what amazed her most perhaps, was this boy before her; the one who couldn't get enough of her and honestly, cherished every second with her. The very same one who had declared his love for her all those years ago, and here he was, still feeling those feelings as strongly as he did back then when they were eighteen.

Many were the times Veronica thought of herself as a fool for thinking this thing with Logan would actually make it in the long term, but oh how wrong she'd been, and how happy that made her now.

"I love you too, doofus…" Logan promised back as he smiled against her lips.

Veronica traced his wet lips with her finger as she too smiled at his goofy grin. He was actually very cute when he smiled; his smile always came across just so…sincere. "A backseat, you, me…my head is about to explode with memories babe…" Veronica teased before nibbling him.

Logan groaned, but he wasn't annoyed. This too had brought quite some memories to his mind —mostly dirty ones, but memories nonetheless. "And the girls still doubt me when I tell them I'm just _that _memorable." He replied smirking before Veronica smacked him on the chest.

She still grew sober quickly enough, and instead of smiling, she bit on her lip and stared into his eyes.

"I know what you are thinking…"

Veronica made a face even though it was _possible —_read: _possible—_ he may know. "What? No magic eight ball genie?"

Quite smugly, Logan shook his head.

"Go ahead…"

"We've changed…" He stated knowingly, nodding his head ever so slightly. This, having her on the backseat of this car was incredible, and he was loving every minute of it, but…he still couldn't deny how different it felt from back in the day.

When he drove into the parking lot, he'd though for a minute it'd feel the same, and while it was different, it honestly wasn't better or worse…it just was…

In the end, when Veronica didn't have a quip or a joke to say back, Logan knew she had been thinking the very same thing. "Well yeah…we have," She agreed softly, out of instinct holding on tighter to the center of his shirt.

Logan in any case, just smirked, and shrugged his shoulders at her. "We've changed a hell of a whole lot," He admitted sincerely. "But I think that's okay…" He added, and at those words, Veronica shifted up her eyes to meet his. "I don't think I miss the person I used to be back then…"

That made Veronica a little uneasily, because while that was partly true, it wasn't the whole truth. "You weren't all bad…"

Logan rolled his eyes playfully. "Fine V, I'll be more politically correct, I was _mostly _bad," He corrected, making Veronica laugh at him wholeheartedly.

"I was in love with you back then, so it couldn't have been all that bad…" Veronica said lightly then, and while her words came out casually, Logan didn't take them like that.

He grew thoughtful, and he held her to him just a little bit tighter. "Did you really?"

"What?"

"Love me then…?" He asked quietly, as if fearing the answer somehow.

Veronica didn't understand just why. He was being silly. "You are being silly…" She told him, with a pointed look. Logan still didn't smile, and so Veronica let out a breath. "I did…" She told him softly after a moment. "It wasn't easy though…and it was scary…"

"What exactly?"

"Well…" Veronica started feeling a little uneasy again. They needed to do this though –that much she knew. They didn't talk all that much about high school, and that was simply because it was painful, and not their finest moments to be honest, but still…it was their high school reunion after all, no? "Don't take this the wrong way, but I…I don't think —actually, _I think _you were a little ahead of me on the love department…" Logan looked even more confused now. "It didn't mean that I didn't love you or cared for you that way, but I so wasn't in a place to accept that and be okay with it. Everything around that time felt like…too much. With Lilly, and your father…it felt to me like I had to fix you—"

"And you did…" Logan chimed in, and while Veronica nodded with a small smile, she still needed to finish her thought.

"And I agree, as I agree that you fixed me too…even—

"—Even if I was at fault of breaking you in the first place as well…"

Veronica twisted her lips, but didn't correct him. "You were in a dark place Logan, and that…that scared me. I didn't know how to help you anymore, so I…I ran…" She sighed, shaking her head at those memories.

Logan in any case simply looked at her, and gently placed his forefinger under her chin. "Look at me…" He whispered, and while it took Veronica a little while, she did.

He was smiling slightly when she looked at his eyes. "How about we just agree that changing together was a good thing?" Those words were what she needed to match his smile. "Think about it like this, we have a baby girl at home that is _all ours_. Yours and mine…I bet most of those people at school would fall backward if they knew we turned out to be the best couple of them all…" And there was the smirk on his face as he said that.

Veronica nodded her head before nestling closer to his chest. "We _are _the best…" She agreed with a smirk, right before she kissed his neck. "And we _do _have the cutest kid, too, right?" She kissed him again, and Logan threw back his head slightly. She was _good_.

Logan nodded his head breathing in deeply. This was about to get good —or better yet, better.

"Logan…" Veronica called him just loud enough when his eyes trailed down, and he was looking everywhere but at her eyes. He reluctantly, looked back up. "Kiss me now…"

"I was thinking…more like—"

"Yeah, you'll get to do all that to me too…" She whispered as now Logan started kissing her on the neck as she spoke. "Earn it big shot…" She called playfully, as Logan bit her ever so slightly, and she giggled.

Okay, so maybe high school reunions weren't all _that _bad…

xxxxx

You see, being optimistic and being on the upper up, didn't quite work for Veronica too well. The minute, seriously, the minute she let her guard down with some things, bang! Something happened. This time it had been…a ghost…_almost _literally.

It was around twelve o'clock, and Veronica had been at the park with the little one. It was a beautiful May Day; it wasn't too warm, it wasn't cold, there was a bit of breeze…it was just nice. The best part was that Elizabeth was having a great time. The park, the outdoors overall, always worked with that lady. It tired her off, and let her burn all that energy she surely had.

"Momma!" Elizabeth called for the second time when Veronica still wouldn't look at her.

She pouted and was about to cry when Veronica finally broke from her trance. "Mamaa!" Elizabeth wailed as big fat elephant tears filled her eyes and her cheeks.

Veronica didn't know what to do in that moment, she looked down at Elizabeth crying, and then back up at the man walking towards them.

Right then she did the one thing she could think of, she grabbed Elizabeth up in her arms and held her close to her body. "Shush…You are okay…" She cooed holding Elizabeth face right by hers. Slowly Elizabeth calmed down, and instead she started hiccupping in Veronica's arms. "Shush baby…" She added, looking at Elizabeth in the eye before offering the little one a smile.

When Veronica turned to look back the other way, he was there. But like…right there, standing before her and her daughter. Was she drunk? Maybe she was drunk and didn't know it? Yup, maybe that was it, because there was no way in hell Duncan could be here before her, right?

What the heck was going on…?

Veronica felt like frozen when their eyes met. Those hadn't changed one bit. "I thinking I may be dreaming, so excuse my manners when I wake up and scream," She blurted out, but…nothing happened, Duncan was still right there. That made her inhale a sharp breath.

"Hi…?" He tried cautiously to what Veronica shook her head strongly, and made a face.

"Are you kidding me? Hi? That's all you got?" Her voice was getting a bit too loud for her taste in Elizabeth's presence, but she still couldn't help herself. It's not every day that you get to see a person you thought you'd never —_never ever_— would see again.

"Hi Veronica…" Duncan tried again, but instead of listening anymore, Veronica turned around as if to walk away.

He grabbed her elbow, and she stopped moving, breathing in deeply.

"I live here…"

Veronica wasn't looking at him as he said this, but that sure took her aback. Why if Duncan Kane was back living in Neptune, nobody had told her?

"I knew you were in town, so I just…I wanted to see you…" As he said that, Veronica slowly turned around again, and once more, they were facing each other.

"How are you here?" Veronica mustered the one question she wanted to ask him then.

She wasn't even looking at him in the end, but Duncan still replied. "Dad did it. He…he cleared my name…" He said vaguely, not really wanting to go into details. "Is she yours?" Duncan asked softly then, as he stretched his arm out slightly, and waved his hand in front of Elizabeth. "Hi little one…" He chanted sweetly, and while Veronica smiled a little, Elizabeth was all but being friendly with him.

Instead of saying _Hi_ back, she recoiled, and pouted as she buried her face on Veronica's shoulder.

"Guess I scared her, too…" Duncan pointed out, but it wasn't funny, instead Veronica rolled her eyes. "Do you think we can talk?"

Veronica took a moment before nodding her head. "Yeah…that'll be okay…" She sighed, before turning to Elizabeth in her arms. "You want a drink honey?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "Play play mama!" She insisted sweetly, as she wiggled herself off Veronica's arms. Elizabeth then started running —_waggling mostly, kinda like a little penguin_—, in the direction of the playground.

"Elizabeth!" Veronica called in her little one's direction before she was completely gone —gone as in five feet away, but still…gone.

Elizabeth turned to Veronica with a mischievous grin on her face.

"Be careful." Veronica warned. "And I love you." She added, matching Elizabeth's smile.

Soon after that, the pintsized version of Veronica was busy playing with some drum like things on the playground and Duncan and Veronica were on their own at last.

It was awkward. _That _was for sure.

"So she _is_ yours?" Good, he broke the silence; Veronica turned to him and nodded.

"Yeah…" She replied simply keeping a watchful eye on Elizabeth. "Got her on a garage sale a little over a year ago…" She smiled, looking into Duncan's bright blue eyes. For a minute, it reminded her to those of Lilly, and a lump formed in her throat.

"So are you married?"

What was with the 20questions, huh?

Veronica in any case replied with the truth. "Nope, but…me and…" Her voice trailed off for some reason then, and Veronica hated herself for that. She wasn't embarrassed of Logan, not at all. But…then, how come her words faded before she could say his name, huh?

"You and Logan?" Duncan filled in for her anyway.

Veronica looked at him, and nodded —this time she did it strongly and smiled sincerely. "Yeah…we've been together forever…" Veronica informed him simply.

He'd be lying if he said that didn't feel like a ton of bricks, but still Duncan made himself nod, and also match Veronica's smile weakly. "You have more children?"

Veronica's eyes went wide. "Nope, just the one…" She told him as she eyed Elizabeth and shook her head. Oh no…that one was surely enough for now. "She's enough work as it is, believe me…"

Duncan kept his eyes on Veronica for a beat as she stared in the baby's direction. When she looked back at him, Duncan shifted his eyes under her gaze. "You are different," Well, no shit Sherlock. "Almost…domesticated…" He tried to say in the name of a joke, but…it didn't really come out that way.

Instead, Veronica grew uneasy. "I love my family, if that's what you mean…" She told him sharply, wrapping her arms around herself. She looked away from Duncan, and for a moment, the two of them stayed in silence.

"She's beautiful…"

Again Duncan broke the silence, and it actually did the job and made Veronica put her guard down again. "Yeah, she is…" She agreed with a small smile.

"She looks just like you." Duncan commented as Veronica slowly turned to him again. "It's a compliment." He pointed out just in case Veronica still doubted it.

She then just shrugged her shoulders at him. "Elizabeth may look like me, but that kid has her daddy's everything else," And so Veronica didn't really realize what she said, until it was already out of her mouth. Yup, she'd called Logan '_Daddy'_ to no one but Duncan Kane…Oh well…

Veronica was then a little shy to look up at Duncan's eyes again; he was now looking in the direction of the playground where Elizabeth was.

"Did you ever think this was how life was going to turn out?"

Oh great, now he was getting philosophical on her. That wasn't all that hard to answer though. "No." Veronica replied with no hesitation. Duncan turned to her looking confused but really, what did he think she was going to say? "I hated him. There was a time in my life Logan was one of the people I despised the most, but…" She trailed off, because even to this day she still couldn't understand what exactly had gone down there. One day she hated Logan as much as always, but then the next one, there were all these feelings she had had no idea what to do with, and well…then life happened, and here they were.

"Things change…"

Veronica nodded her head at the small statement from Duncan. That was true. "Yeah…" She told him before letting out a breath as she looked over at Elizabeth. Duncan was right indeed, things _do _change —a whole lot most of the times, but the truth of the matter was that everything changing had been a good thing —at least that was what Veronica thought and believed completely.

"I won't tell you there are not days when I look at my life, at Logan, at my daughter and think _'Whoa…how did I get here_,' but…I don't have…_any_ regrets…" Veronica told him sincerely. "I look at my life now and while completely different to whatever I ever envisioned my life would be, I…God, I don't know how I could live with something different."

There was a small moment of silence as Veronica's words sunk in…she shifted her eyes from Duncan and instead looked at Elizabeth still playing. Just in that moment however, Elizabeth tripped on her feet and while Veronica's breath was caught up on her throat as she saw it happening, Elizabeth was fast to get back up on her feet and keep going in the direction of the slide. Veronica let out a breath before looking back at Duncan. "I never thought I'd see you again…" Her confession didn't take Duncan by surprise…truth was, he didn't think he'd be seeing her again either —not once he thought _this _was how he was going to be seeing Veronica for the first time in so many years either. She had honestly changed so much.

"I'm happy you are happy…" Duncan told her simply, offering one of those half smiles he did sometimes.

Veronica didn't know exactly what to say right now. She felt awkward and truthfully didn't wish more than to call for Elizabeth and get the heck out of here. She had to do this first though. "We are staying in town for a few days. You should come over some time…" And so the offer was out and now it was up to Duncan to accept it or decline it… "You could bring–l"

"Lilly?"

Veronica nodded simply. "Yeah, bring her if you want to." She offered. "How is she anyway? She's how old?"

"Twelve…" Duncan replied with a small nod. "She's doing great…she likes it here…"

Veronica was honestly very glad to hear that. Even if she wanted, Veronica knew she couldn't deny how important Duncan had been at some point in her life, and while they were not that people anymore, and even in spite of the awkwardness she felt just by standing next to him, if there was a chance that he could be in their lives in some way, then Veronica wasn't going to be the one to shut down that chance. "So what do you say? Meet with us some time?"

Duncan took a long moment to reply, making Veronica a little uneasy —_again_.

"We could go for dinner, or…ice cream, or something…the cool kids do it, I've heard…" She added shrugging her shoulders slightly.

Her attempt of a joke came and went without a lot of a reaction from Duncan though. After a moment, he just nodded, making Veronica smile tightly at him. "Good," She told him as she got one of her business cards out of…the diaper bag she was carrying. "Here. Text me whenever you are free and we'll do something…" Veronica told him simply as she also saw as Elizabeth started to wander in the direction of the swings. That was a no no when she was by herself.

Veronica barely excused herself from Duncan, before she called for Elizabeth and went to get her. "Mama has to help you with the swings, remember?" She reminded Elizabeth as the little girl was already trying to climb onto one of the '_big kid'_ swings. She wasn't allowed on those either —not yet at least.

Only a moment later Veronica saw Duncan catching up with her by the swings. "Sorry about that," She told him as she helped Elizabeth onto the swing. "There was this one time a kid actually hit her on the head on the swings, so…since then we are just a little more careful with the little miss…" Veronica explained as she started swinging Elizabeth and those perfect toddler chuckles started escaping her mouth.

Veronica looked at Duncan out of the corner of her eye and while he was smiling slightly, she knew it wasn't a happy smile per se —it looked mostly as a nostalgic smile more than anything else…

Veronica sighed, but didn't get the chance to say anything before Duncan did it first. "I gotta run now, but…I'm glad I got to see you…"

Veronica stared into his blue eyes for the longest time before she nodded. "You too…" What was the protocol on this huh? How do you say goodbye to your ex-boyfriend slash first love slash almost half-brother that wasn't? Do you hug? Kiss? Just wave? "Don't forget to call some time," Veronica reminded him even though deep inside she wasn't even sure if that was a good idea or not …she wasn't completely sure how Logan was going to feel about this.

In any case, Veronica played the nice card and just smiled at him as Duncan turned to Elizabeth on the swing set. "Bye bye…" He called at her.

Elizabeth honestly was far busier swinging and feeling the wind on her hair to acknowledge him but still Veronica thought that was sweet of him. She had honestly met people in New York who would talk to her for minutes at the time, without even acknowledging the fact that she had a baby in her arms.

"Elizabeth, can you please say bye-bye?" Veronica called a little bit louder as she stopped the swing a little so that the kid could focus on Duncan. "Can you say bye-bye to Duncan. He has to go home," Veronica explained in spite of Elizabeth obvious lack of interest in whom this person before her was.

Elizabeth still complied and smiled at Duncan as he looked at her intently one more time. Damn, she really did look like Veronica.

"Biiieeeee!" Elizabeth chanted happily before turning to her mom and scrunching up her nose with a smile on her face.

Veronica chuckled. "Good girl," She told her sweetly, before high fiving Elizabeth.

After that, she and Duncan just said goodbye awkwardly one more time, and there was even a small distant hug involved before he just walked out of the park. It actually took Veronica some well few minutes to sink in what had happened. She knew she'd spent over twenty minutes with Duncan and all, but after over ten years of not seeing his face, the experience had surely been surreal.

"Dada! Dadaaaa!" Elizabeth shouted then breaking Veronica from her thoughts.

Next she knew Elizabeth was almost throwing herself off the swing. "Hey, hey, hold on!" Veronica said as she reached out to get her. She lifted her up in her arms, but Elizabeth was then fast to wiggle her way off her arms, and before Veronica knew it, that little teeny baby of hers was running like crazy in the direction of her Dad.

In that instant Veronica completely forgot about Duncan and instead smiled at the picture before her. Logan grabbed Elizabeth in his arms with no hesitation whatsoever, and hugged her tight to his body before looking over Veronica's way. She smiled sweetly at him as they moved closer to one another. There were really very few things in life that made Veronica happier than to see the boy she loved most loving the little girl she loved most as well. It was heartwarming and amazing, and just why things changing sometimes was the best thing in the world.

"Dadaa, mamaa!" Elizabeth told Veronica happily the moment their little family of three was back together.

"I know," Veronica replied smiling playfully at Elizabeth.

It took all of that sentence for Logan to narrow his eyes at Veronica. "Hey, what's wrong?" He asked her right away, keeping his voice soft enough for Elizabeth.

Veronica shrugged it off shaking her head slightly and motioning to Elizabeth as well.

"What is it?" Logan insisted; his voice still soft but he was worrying, and that wasn't right either.

"It's nothing."

"Well, it looks like something." Logan told her seriously. "You look as though you've seen a ghost Veronica," He told her and honestly, he wasn't lying at all. She was as pale as ever, and in a warm day like today that wasn't the usual. "What happened?" Logan asked again and this time Veronica didn't try to dismiss him.

"Are you thirsty munchkin?" Veronica asked Elizabeth before dropping the bomb on Logan. "You thirsty too, I suppose?" She asked looking at Logan trying to sound casual —_he had been just jogging, it was natural he was thirsty, right?_— Her words however did not come out as casual as she planned.

In any case, a moment later, the three of them were sitting on the covered table by one end of the park and after Elizabeth was happily munching on her snack, Veronica turned to Logan and just told him. "I kind of did see a ghost…" She said cryptically, making Logan look at her as though she were crazy.

"What?"

"Duncan was here…" Veronica told him as delicately as she could.

Logan didn't get it. "What?"

"_Duncan_…remember him? Tall? Grew up together? Blue ey—"

"—I know that Veronica, I was just…_Duncan_?" Logan was oh-so confused, and Veronica could tell as much.

Okay so maybe she wouldn't joke about this yet. She then instead just shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah…We were playing with Elizabeth and then out of nowhere here he was," Veronica explained.

"How is that even possible?" Sure it had been a few years but of course Logan still remember just how Duncan had vanished from their lives.

Veronica wished she could answer all of his questions with absolute certainty but she just couldn't —she didn't know. "I don't know. He didn't really say a whole lot about that. Only that it was thanks to his Dad…I…I didn't ask him more about it either…I really don't know honey…" Veronica told him apologetically, before reaching across the table and taking his hand into hers. "Are you okay?"

Logan didn't answer for a moment. He was like zoned out looking down at their intertwined hands. Well, at least Veronica knew now she wasn't alone feeling the way she was feeling with this.

"Duncan Kane…" Logan whispered after a moment, and while Veronica wanted to tell him something, she didn't, and instead just squeezed his hand. "Did you guys talk at all? Is he okay?"

Veronica nodded at the questions even though she didn't know for sure if he was okay—_okay_. "I gave him my business card so maybe he'll call before we have to leave." Veronica told him then, she still felt unsure of what Logan would think of that. "We talked about Elizabeth and stuff…and you…He didn't say much about himself though…"

Logan looked up from their hands at last, and he and Veronica shared a look. "He did keep Lilly's name for his daughter in the end." There was a small smile in her face as Veronica told Logan that. She hadn't stopped trying to picture that kid since seeing Duncan. "She's like twelve now, can you believe _that_? Twelve."

Logan shook his head. He had never even thought about that child. And it wasn't something personal at all with the kid, but…that part of Duncan's history just never felt all that real to him for some reason. "You think he is going to call?"

"Heeello!" Elizabeth chirpy voice took both Logan and Veronica aback but they still couldn't help but laugh the moment their eyes turned to her. She heard the word _call_ and instantly knew what she had to do. Ever since she could remember her mom had spoken on the phone a lot, so during her small life Elizabeth had gotten to say "_Hello_" a few too many times into the phone every time her mama or papa called someone.

"You are one silly girl." Veronica told Elizabeth, patting her tiny nose with her finger. "We aren't calling anyone this time. We are going to wait for someone to call _us_, get it?" Veronica said looking at Elizabeth even though for Logan it was clear she was talking to him as well.

"Okay, mama…" Elizabeth said happily before going back to her raisins. She turned to Logan after a moment though. "Dada…"

"Yeah sweetie," Logan replied forgetting then for an instant as well about this whole Duncan mess. Just why, huh? From all people in the world Logan never thought they would run into _Duncan_ on this trip.

"You stinky daddy…" She told him as serious as a 20-month-old baby could say.

Veronica couldn't help but burst into laughter immediately at those words. It was no wonder Elizabeth was saying that. Time and time again after Logan came home after a run Veronica had told him those very same words Elizabeth said, so it really was no wonder she'd picked up on that.

Logan in any case didn't take it personally, and laughed wholeheartedly as well. What Elizabeth said sure had been more than enough to make him stop worrying…at least for a while…

* * *

**AN: TBC!**


	7. Chapter Seven - Welcome To The Family

**HAPPY 2014 EVERYONE! :)**

* * *

**Chapter Seven - Welcome To The Family**

* * *

So after a few days back home, Veronica could safely say there were definitely some pros and cons of the experience. And yeah, of course this wasn't the first time she came back home since she graduated high school. Of course not. Her father lived here for Heaven's sake, so she'd been back often enough in the last few years.

This was the first time however, that she was back, first off, with her now so open to the world one and a half year old daughter, and secondly, back at the same time as everybody else she knew was back as well.

And while it was true she hadn't seen a bunch of them the day of the reunion party she and Logan failed to attend the other night, right now quite a few of those former classmates of Veronica —_the ones she didn't hate_— were at her Dad's place '_catching up'_.

It had gotten a little out of hand really; she'd invited Wallace and Mac to her Dad's place to catch up and stuff, and then _they_ invited a couple other people, who invited a few other people as well, and now at least twenty people Veronica hadn't seen in years —_quite literally_– were at her house.

It wasn't _that _bad though…nobody she completely hated was here after all. Instead, as Veronica walked into the living room, she smiled at the sight of that old time best friend of hers trying _oh-so _hard to teach Elizabeth how to throw a ball down a basketball hood he had given the little girl.

And to think Veronica thought coming to California had been hard with Elizabeth. Oh how silly she'd been…think about _going back_ to New York, _still_ with Elizabeth, _a dog_, an Elizabeth-sized basketball hood and all the other gifts the kid had gotten in the course of the last few days –_that _was going to be the real challenge for sure.

Veronica still couldn't help but chuckle at the way Wallace was talking to her child. She really didn't approve of it though. "Can you please stop talking to my daughter as if she were retarded…?" She pointed out with a smirk. After hearing so many '_Good jobs' 'Baby'_ and '_sweetie'_ in that awful baby inflection, Veronica knew she had to do something about it.

Wallace didn't think it was as funny though. "Your sense of humor doesn't change, huh girl?"

Veronica made a face and shrugged her shoulder hopelessly. "We are what we are," She explained simply. "What'cha think of her?" Veronica asked Wallace after a moment motioning with her head towards the little girl playing with the tiny basketball.

Wallace had of course met Elizabeth before, but she had been maybe 8 months old or something the last time he'd seen her. There was not a doubt that baby had changed a lot since that time. "She's a mini you," Wallace stated honestly. "I can't wait for her to grow up though…"

Veronica narrowed her eyes at him. "Why? What do you mean?"

"Nothing. I just think it's going to be great for you to finally know what _we _all feel."

Veronica was still lost.

"You know, you are finally going to know what it's like to deal with someone like _you…_Not the easiest task in the world…I promise you that…_" _Wallace explained, and at last, Veronica got what he meant.

She didn't like it though.

"Ow!" Wallace whined when she hit him on his arm. "No violence in front of the minor Mars," He argued looking at Elizabeth who honestly couldn't care less about her mom and Wallace right now. Who would have thought a basketball would keep her so busy, huh?

In any case, Veronica just shook her head at him before smiling softly. "I wish we could see each other more often…" Veronica confessed then after a moment. She shared a look with Wallace before they both shook their heads and smiled at each other. They weren't going to do this right now. But the truth was, it was indeed hard to keep up –even when they still considered the other as their best friend, but it was still hard. Especially when they lived in different states and both had lives of their own, but still…maybe one day they'll find that balance again.

"I have to go check on Logan, can you keep her?" Veronica asked him then.

Wallace looked over at Elizabeth and nodded; he'd be more than happy to hang out with Mini V. "Of course. Where's Logan anyway?"

Veronica made a face. "He's inside…dealing I guess…" She explained scrunching up her nose before shrugging and heading off in the direction of the bedrooms.

Veronica walked into their bedroom and saw Logan there…sitting on the floor with his back resting against the bed. He had a video game on but he wasn't playing. It actually was a treat for Logan, to have video games here at her Dad's house. Back in New York, they didn't keep any at home. That had been decided earlier on and Logan had actually agreed. He'd known that if there were Video Games available, then he'd want to play —like all the time, at inappropriate times, so it was better to just not have them all together.

He was wasting his time right now though, but Veronica sort of got it. "You are sulking…" She stated, as she slid down on the floor and sat down by him.

Logan turned to look at her and after smirking at her, shook his head. "Nope," He told her knowingly. "I'm throwing myself a pity party. The brooding like an Old Italian lady is just an added bonus," He said and Veronica couldn't help but laugh.

"Are you okay?" She asked him then when they were both serious again.

Logan in any case was fast to answer. "Yeah…" He was okay; he just thought it was awfully weird to have Duncan back in the picture. Apparently, he'd texted Veronica and now there was a get together set in place for tomorrow. "I just don't feel like being out there…is all…"

"Uh huh…" Veronica told him with a roll of her eyes. "Are you sure though, because Elizabeth got a basketball hood and she's kicking ass out there?"

Logan smiled at her but still shook his head. He hadn't been joking about the pity party. "I bet she is." He replied but Veronica was just about done with that.

"Logan…" She pleaded, moving a little so that she was right in front of him. She cupped his face and stared at him right in the eyes. "Tell me what to do?" She asked seriously. "How do you boys make up anyway?"

"Make up?"

Great, now he was looking at her as if she were crazy, but come on! "Yeah, how do you guys mend the patches, befriend each other again…how can I make it not be weird tomorrow?"

Logan knew the answer to that. "You can't." He stated simply, but still it made Veronica pout.

She did not like that answer. "I'm serious V…" He told her, now a little more softly as he reached out and helped Veronica so that she was sitting on his lap. "It is going to be awkward and I won't lie and say I'm looking forward to it. I'm really not."

"If you want we can just call it off and not go…" Veronica said then hopefully.

"No…that's not it…we don't run from things remember?"

Veronica smiled at him and nodded. That was the truth…

"It's just…I don't know…I just feel…like—"

Veronica scrunched her face and let out a breath. She really didn't get to see Logan struggling to put feelings into words that often. "Just say it…"

Logan took a moment before nodding his head ever so slightly. "It's just Duncan was my best friend, you know? For a long, long time." Veronica simply nodded in understanding. "So when he just took off it was…bad."

"Okay."

"But…if he hadn't left…then…if he hadn't left chances are I wouldn't be here right now,"

Veronica narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean with _you_ Veronica. I mean my life with you. If he had stuck around I would have never gotten a chance with you…"

Veronica was quiet for a moment; she really didn't see that coming. And she really didn't think it was like that at all. "That's not really truth…" She tried to say but Logan wasn't having it.

"Please Veronica…" Logan said as if with just that he was explaining everything.

She didn't get it. "Please what? You are going to have to explain this, because I'm not following Logan…" She told him seriously, and while she tried, she couldn't help her voice raising a little.

"Tell me you wouldn't have stayed with him if everything with Meg's baby hadn't happened, huh?"

Veronica shook her head. "I don't know Logan. There is no way I can know that, because that is not how things went down. He left and everything that had to happen happened, and now we are here. Besides…I love you." She promised, because if anything, that was something he ought to trust her with.

"I know you do," He said then before moving from Veronica and getting up from the floor.

Veronica got up as well, and looked at him as Logan paced for a moment before turning back around to face her.

"But he was your first choice Veronica. That's all I'm saying. Duncan was the good one, the one I'm sure you would have rather stayed with…"

Okay, and now he was starting to really piss her off. How could he think that? After all these years? _Especially_ after all these years. "You know the fact that you are telling me this makes me wish I were with someone like Duncan, right?" She really didn't mean that, but Logan had hurt her and so now she felt as though she should hurt him as well, and for better or worse —or for just for worse actually, she knew this would do the job. "At least he's not a jackass who likes to rehash the past like this!" She shouted at him before storming out of the room.

Great just great. She'd thought getting Duncan and Logan together was a good idea, you know, they were best friends at some point, perhaps after all these years they could connect again…

But no…it had been a bad bad bad idea…Veronica knew this now…

xxxx

After Veronica's and Logan's…blowout…things that night were a bit awkward but still both of them made it through the night. Veronica went back outside with everybody and ignored every comment about whatever they thought they heard from her fight with Logan.

And Logan on the other hand, well…he just stayed in their bedroom for as long as everybody stayed in the house. He didn't even go out for food —he'd been just _that_ upset. But…then like at 930 or something Veronica was still not back in the room so he went out…

Sadly enough, the first person he found wasn't Veronica per se but…yeah; you guessed it right, Mr. Keith Mars from all people. Logan made a little hello gesture before Keith motioned him to sit down by him. "So you two had a fight?"

Logan shrugged his shoulders and looked away. "Sort of…" He said vaguely, grabbing a pillow from the couch and putting it on his lap for no reason whatsoever.

"She _really_ loves you, you know that, right?"

"Of course I do." Logan replied strongly. He didn't doubt that for a second, but…still, that didn't mean Duncan here couldn't screw with his mind…right? "But this thing with Duncan…It was one thing when he was completely out of our lives, but him coming back, I can't help but think I'm back to being V's second choice, that's all…" Logan said, and looked up at Keith's eyes. The room was a little dark but he still managed to see the grown man's eyes.

Logan liked what he saw there for once; he saw understanding.

"I think you two should talk," Keith told Logan softly then. "But for what is worth, I do not think you are her second choice at all. She has never in all this time even mention Duncan. She doesn't keep a lot of stuff from high school all together but her things with Duncan had been long since put in storage. And Logan…I…I know what it's like living trying to live up to someone else in a marriage. I think I did just that my whole marriage with her mom, but…I've never seen that between you and Veronica. And she's my daughter. _I _know her. I know she would do anything for you…I know she loves you more than anything in spite of your flaws and shortcomings. _That's _a real relationship. I promise you she is not the kind of girl that stops to wonder how her life would have been with a different man often…if at all…" Keith knew how that looked like, and he honestly had never seen it on his daughter.

After he said that, Keith just patted Logan on the back, and got up from the couch. "She's sleeping with Elizabeth in the guest bedroom…be quiet when you walk in."

Logan looked over at Keith and simply nodded. He didn't go over there right away though. He had to put his thoughts in order first.

In any case, maybe ten or fifteen minutes later, Logan quietly knocked on Veronica's door. She didn't have time to say anything before Logan quietly opened the door and peeked his head in. "Can we talk?" He asked softly knowing better than to wake up Elizabeth.

Veronica sat up on the bed and nodded. Tonight she had actually let Elizabeth sleep with her on the bed, so they were going to have to be extra careful and extra quiet. At least now, they knew they couldn't scream at each other because of the baby.

"I'm a total piece of crap…"

Veronica wasn't going to dispute that…she nodded her head. "Yeah."

Logan puffed and smiled at her. "I'm sorry." He said making Veronica let out a breath. "Is just…the _thought_ alone of losing you makes me lose my mind…"

Veronica's features softened at that. "You are not going to lose me, buddy…" She told him sincerely, moving on the bed so that she was closer to him. Logan nodded. "I love you Logan. _You_, no one else okay?"

He knew this, but it still was hard. "And I love you too," He promised back honestly. "But it is just that, I don't know Veronica, some days I just can't help but wonder how in the world was it that I actually ended up with a girl like _you_. I'm a screw up, and you…well, you are you…and you've given me _so_ much…I just…it's hard to believe I really was lucky enough to get you…all right?"

Veronica tilted her head and smiled at him. Little did he know _she_ was the one that felt lucky to be able to call him her partner in almost every aspect of life. "I think you and I would have ended up together anyway…in spite of Duncan…"

Logan couldn't help but make a face at that. "What?"

"I'm serious," Veronica told him simply. "I think we would've broken up eventually anyway, and…I believe you and I would have found our way to each other in the end…" She stated taking Logan completely for surprise; he never knew that was the way she felt about their relationship. "Once upon a time a drunken boy came to me, and made me believe this thing between you and me is more than either you and I can understand. He made me believe this thing between us is more than just another love story, but…something epic and amazing that is always going to be here. No matter what…" And now she felt like crying, but…it was the truth, and she honestly did not want Logan thinking she'd only chosen him because Duncan wasn't around.

Truth was, whenever Veronica looked back she couldn't even understand how she stayed with a boy like Duncan for so long. He was great…but…he wasn't Logan, you know?

"You believe me?" Veronica asked Logan after a small moment.

He looked up at her with a silly smile spreading on his face. He nodded. "Yeah…"

"Okay, good…" Veronica told him matching his smile. She leaned in and gave him a kiss to his lips before resting their foreheads together. "Do you think we can go to bed now?" Logan again just nodded.

He kicked off his shoes and crawled into bed as careful as he could. Elizabeth was sleeping in the middle of the bed, so he made himself comfortable at her side. He wrapped his arm gently over the baby and Veronica did the same thing. They shared a small look before they smiled and closed their eyes for the day.

Everything was better now.

xxxx

It was only eleven o'clock in the morning but Veronica knew she was ready for the day to be finished already. Elizabeth had woken up, of course, at 430 am and had been up and about ever since. Veronica yawned but then remember in just a few minutes she'll go to a spa and will get a massage and then probably will be able to nap for a little bit when Elizabeth napped as well in the afternoon.

Logan stepped into the room then and she looked up at him as she finished doing her hair quickly. "You are not ready," Logan declared when he saw Veronica throwing her hair into a messy ponytail. He didn't judge. She looked beautiful anyway, but he'd thought she'd pick something other than leggings and no makeup to go see Duncan…

"What are you saying? I was born ready darling," She joked as she put on her sneakers now.

Veronica looked up at Logan from her feet when he didn't answer. "I am ready." She repeated. "I'm going to go with Mac to a spa. Can you believe it? A spa. I'm probably even going to be allowed to have some wine." She grinned from ear to ear before moving closer to Logan. He was looking back at her with such a confused look. He looked like a dork, but a cute dork, at least.

"I thought we were going to go see Duncan…" Logan stated softly when Veronica reached him and sweetly put her hand on his cheek.

She let out a breath before nodding her head. "Yeah…I decided not to go." She told him sincerely. "I think it's better if you just go by yourself Logan…it'll be less awkward that's for sure." Veronica stated before Logan could argue. "I thought about it a lot, and…before you and I, or me and Duncan ever were together, you two were friends. And now it's been years, but…you still care about him a lot. That was obvious from the way you reacted and acted yesterday…so…go get your friend back if you need to, or let him go if you need that instead…You have to do it alone, though…" Veronica promised him with a sweet smile, before she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him for a few moments.

Logan let out a breath staring into her big blue eyes before he nodded his head. She was right.

"If you guys mend things, then we can arrange dinner tonight here or we'll do whatever. Go out for some beers or wine or whatever…" Veronica told him before smiling goofily and going back to her shoes.

Logan stared at her for a moment before puffing and nodding his head as well. Well, one thing was for sure, his woman did know best, so he'd better listen…

"Oh but Logan…" Veronica said just before Logan was heading out the door.

"Yeah?"

"Save my Dad from Elizabeth, would you?" She told him seriously even though she was trying hard not to laugh at her own words. "She's _dynamite_ today and I know Dad wants to be sweet and help out with her, but he needs a break, so…take her with you okay?" Veronica asked him sweetly. She could honestly hear Elizabeth whining from her room, and she knew no matter how awesome her dad was with her, there were some things and tricks only she and Logan knew. "Please…" Veronica added a plea then and Logan just rolled his eyes. She didn't need to do all that; he would have done it with just she asking once.

"Of course." He agreed and Veronica beamed.

Now she only hoped today went well between Logan and Duncan and then this trip wouldn't be as awful as she thought it would turn out once…

xxxx

And just when Veronica thought this trip couldn't get any weirder, boom, she met _Lilly Kane_. And no, she wasn't talking about another almost-ghostly experience, she was talking about Lilly Kane Jr. In the flesh. And Holy Cow. Seriously…_Holy Cow._

This child was twelve-years-old, she was blonde, petite, her skin was fair, and she really was beautiful. She also looked _so damn much_ like Lilly, and it almost scared Veronica. It was really impressive how much they looked alike, the big blue eyes, the shape of their mouth, the way this Lilly laughed that was honestly so much like the Lilly Veronica used to know.

It gave her skin Goosebumps, just to see her.

All these years whenever Veronica let herself think about Duncan and his daughter, she had always pictured Lilly looking like Meg —she was her mom after all, no? But apparently the Kane genes had been stronger than those of her mother, because while Veronica did get to see some flashes of Meg in Lilly Jr, it was undeniable how much she resembled Lilly.

Veronica bit on her thumb then, watching as Lilly and Elizabeth played. Needlessly to say Elizabeth was mesmerized with Lilly, and was loving playing with the older child. Veronica honestly tried not to laugh at the irony, here was her own daughter toddling around adoring this newest version of Lilly Kane…oh life…you sneaky little bitch…

"Never I thought I'd see the day when a twelve-year-old would intimidate you, Veronica…"

Veronica looked up at Logan from her place at the table, and she pouted, narrowing her eyes. That wasn't funny at all.

"Well," Logan started again, before Veronica could tell him anything in return. "At least not till Elizabeth was that age," He added, playfully smiling at her.

Veronica felt the fight in her lessening as she looked at him and heard him speak. She wanted to tell Logan what she was feeling right now at seeing Lilly, but…honestly, she wasn't completely sure herself she knew how that felt. It was just…weird.

"You should go talk to her V…"

"What?" Veronica replied back right away.

Logan shrugged his shoulders. "You need to hold it together, Mars. She may _look_ like Lilly," And Goodness knew she did. "But after you get over the initial shock and actually _meet_ her, you'd see she's not all that much like her…"

Veronica was taking in his words with a grain of salt. Logan had gotten to meet Lilly yesterday during his outing with Duncan, which thank God had gone all right. They had spent the day with the children before dropping them off at their respective homes, and then the two of them alone went out for beers and as it seemed, had made peace with each other. At least Veronica thought so. Today they had been good to each other, lots of "dude" and "awesome" and "great man" had been interchanged throughout today between them.

Veronica liked that, as a matter of fact, that made her really happy for both Logan and Duncan. She still didn't see how she could get over this Lilly thing.

"I feel I'd seen ghost after ghost during this trip. She…she's too much," Veronica stated sadly, shifting her eyes under his gaze. "I still see her sometimes you know?" Veronica asked Logan then, quickly looking up at him.

He narrowed his eyes slightly. "You mean Lilly?"

Veronica warily nodded her head. "Like in my dreams and stuff. Don't think I've gone crazy," She warned, smiling softly. "But…Lilly, she looks the same every time, she never changes, she sounds the same, and…looking at that kid, is like…seeing my best friend back when we were twelve…" Now this was something Veronica had mostly kept to herself, she and Logan had both loved Lilly, but…the way they still dealt with her loss was different for the two of them. Logan had chosen not to think about her, while Veronica could hardly escape the memory most weeks. Especially now that she had a career and a family, and just all those things Lilly never would.

"She's not Lilly…"

Veronica shook her head. "I know she's not." She told him trying not to snap. "It still freaks me out…" She admitted, looking at Logan sadly.

He held his stare on her eyes for a long moment before just grabbing her hand. "Come on," He told her seriously, as he helped her to her feet.

Veronica whined but couldn't fight him —he was bigger than her, and that surely worked on his advantage some times.

"What are you doing?" Veronica asked him helplessly as Logan was nearly pulling her in the direction of the girls.

"Duncan is going to be here soon with the pizza, so you need to get over yourself before he does." He explained as he stopped walking for a moment to look at her eyes. "You need to meet this child. I think you should see for yourself how she looking like Lilly could actually be a good thing. Think about her as a little piece of Lilly that is still here…" He told her sweetly with a shrug of his shoulder.

Veronica looked at him twisting her lips, before nodding.

Logan smiled, and then both of them started walking again.

Elizabeth spotted Veronica and Logan and her little face lit up with excitement. "We paying mama!" She giggled as she ran in Veronica's direction.

"I know." Veronica exclaimed excitedly, as she grabbed Elizabeth in her arms. "Are you having fun?"

Without missing a beat, Elizabeth nodded her head. "Yah," She replied simply.

Logan moved then to stand by Lilly and he gently put his hands over her shoulders. The child looked up at him and smiled.

That picture before her had been enough to make Veronica smile as well.

"Did you meet Veronica, Lil?"

Lilly shook her head looking quickly in Veronica's direction before she shifted her eyes back to Logan. Apparently, Lilly was just as intimidated by Veronica as the grown woman was of her.

That wasn't right though. "I knew you when you were a baby, you know?" Veronica chimed in softly, moving a little closer to Logan and Lilly.

And then, surprising Veronica slightly, Lilly nodded her head at her words. "I know. Daddy's told me about you," She explained simply. "He said some people wanted to take me away from him when I was little, but you didn't let them. We have a picture of you in the playroom." She confessed shyly, shifting her eyes to the floor for a moment.

Veronica tilted her head to the side staring at Lilly. Logan had been right; she really was anything like Lilly. "You think I could have a picture of you?" Veronica asked the child sweetly then. "I'd love to have one to remind you by when we go back to our home?"

Lilly smiled sincerely at the request. "Yes sure," She said as she rapidly then scurried off to her bedroom.

Veronica bit on her lip for a moment, looking at Lilly, before her eyes shifted in Logan's direction. He was giving her a _look. _"I'll go." She warned him playfully as she passed Elizabeth to him, and off she went in the same direction Lilly had run to.

"Hey…" Veronica said from the doorway of her room.

Lilly was startled to see her at first, but she then smiled. "I don't know what picture to give you." She said from the floor where she had a shoebox between her legs.

Veronica waited a beat, before walking into the room, and sitting by Lilly. "Can I see?" She asked motioning Lilly to the shoebox.

Lilly nodded her head. "Yeah. We keep my baby pictures here," She commented as Veronica started pulling some of the pics. "Elizabeth is a very pretty baby…" Lilly told Veronica then just because.

Her sweet words made Veronica smile some more. She turned to Lilly, and tapped her nose. "Thank you," She told her sincerely. "Before I met my daughter you were the only baby I've known, you know?"

"Yeah?"

"Yes." Veronica replied simply. "You were the cutest baby." She stated with a strong nod of her head. "Helping your Daddy get you back was the right thing to do. He has always loved you more than anything."

Lilly smiled at Veronica's words because she knew the blonde was right. Her Daddy had told her as much many times.

"Did you meet my mom?"

Uh oh, Veronica did not see that question coming, but…it was normal she wanted to know about her mom, right? "Yeah, I met her." Veronica answered at last. "We went to school together; she was a very very good friend of mine…"

Took Lilly a moment to take in Veronica's words, but after a little while she accepted her answer with a nod. "So she was a good person?"

"Yes." This time Veronica did not hesitate to answer. "She was an _amazing_ person actually. She was…good to everybody, y'know? And she loved you and your Daddy a lot. I promise you that…"

Again Lilly simply nodded. She looked down at the shoebox for a while as she looked through some of the pictures in silence with Veronica. "Did you know my Aunty Lilly?"

Surprisingly enough Veronica felt a genuine smile on her face at the mention of Lilly. "Yeah. She was my very best friend…" Veronica told Lilly sincerely. "You look a whole lot like her, you know?"

"I know," Lilly answered certainly. "I think that makes my Grandpa sad though…" She added, and at that Veronica couldn't help but narrow her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

Lilly shrugged her shoulders. "It's like the way he hugs me when I see him. He always holds me for a long time, and sometimes his eyes get teary and all. I think he misses my Aunty a lot, and it makes him sad that I look like her, but I'm not really her…"

Veronica looked at Lilly uneasily for a moment. She pinched the bridge of her nose, before answering. Jake Kane. Veronica hadn't seen him or even heard from him in years. In a way it made her happy he had contact with Duncan and Lilly, and yet she feared that man was still so haunted by the past.

"I think he hugs you for a long time because he loves you…" Veronica tried saying with a smile. "But I also think you are right. Just like your Daddy loves you so much Mr. Kane loved Lilly so so much too, and he misses her. Maybe next time you see him you can talk to him about her." Lilly made a face. "You don't talk much with Grandpa?"

"I do, but I don't wanna make him sadder." Lilly replied quickly.

Veronica in any case shook her head. "Give it a try some time. Maybe Grandpa would love to tell you stories about Lilly when she was little like you. You won't know if you don't ask him."

Lilly twisted her lips as she thought over Veronica's words. "Okay. I'll ask him, but if he gets upset I'll tell him it was you who told me to ask him, kay?"

"Fine by me," Veronica answered with no hesitation. And really, in the scenario that Mr. Kane actually freaked out, it would truly be better if he got mad at Veronica rather than Lilly. It would be just as the good ole times…Veronica thought so anyway.

Just then, as Veronica turned to Lilly again, a little flash of blonde hair ran _oh-so_ quickly across the hallway right outside Lilly's bedroom. Veronica had to hold back laughter when she then heard Logan screaming "_Runaway baby!"_ As he ran right after Elizabeth.

Veronica stayed quiet, and waited until Logan caught Elizabeth. That scene was actually pretty common at their home, the moment Logan caught her, Elizabeth would just burst into giggles, and of course it was an understatement to say Veronica loved the sound of that.

And sure enough, only a few seconds later, both she and Lilly, heard Elizabeth laughing her little head off as Logan carried her back to where her mom was. "Found this little monkey outside. She insists she belongs to you," Logan said playfully as he carried Elizabeth upside down by her feet, and moved her close to her mom.

Veronica couldn't help her mama-bear side shinning when she saw Elizabeth's face all red, and worried all her blood was going to her head. "Turn her around already," She told him softly, though of course Logan heard the mom in her shouting at him.

He still laughed softly as he placed Elizabeth on Veronica's lap, and soon enough the little girl was laughing again as she said '_Hello'_ to her mom with the goofiest grin on her face —that grin, all Logan's of course. "Daddy's a monkey!"

"Daddy said _you _are the monkey actually," Veronica corrected her playfully after Logan cried a "_Hey_" to Elizabeth. "But _he is_ kinda like a monkey too, right?" She asked the little girl as she tickled her sides and of course, Elizabeth burst into giggles.

Only a moment later all four of them heard a door opening, and Lilly jumped on her feet immediately. "That's my Daddy!" She announced with a smile on her face. As much as she'd love spending time with Logan and Veronica, and the baby, she was missing her Daddy already.

Veronica smiled at her still from the floor.

"Come on Elizabeth, we gotta go say hi to my Daddy," Lilly said enthusiastically as she reached down for Elizabeth's hand.

Elizabeth obliged, but she was making a funny face. "Daddy?" She asked looking at Logan quickly before she looked back at Lilly for an answer.

Her mommy was quicker than Lilly though. "_Her_ Daddy Elizabeth, not yours." Veronica explained to the baby, and looked up at Logan smiling playfully just because she could. She knew it bothered him just the _idea,_ the thought alone of Elizabeth not being his but Duncan's. To be honest, that thought made him shiver, and Veronica knew as much.

In any case, after Elizabeth accepted Veronica's answer as a good one, she held on to Lilly's hand, and the two of them stared walking back into the living room to greet Duncan.

Veronica and Logan however, stayed behind for a moment. He grabbed her waist from behind, and Veronica smiled tilting her head to look at his eyes. She twisted her lips looking shyly at his eyes. "You were right, she's pretty wonderful…" Veronica looked down for a moment, looking pensive. "And _so_ the opposite of Lilly…" Veronica hated to think about it like this, but if this Lilly was so sweet and innocent, that was all thanks to the way Duncan had raised her. The Lilly she knew however, well…she'd had to use all sort of different ways to call her parents' attention, while this Lilly didn't. Her father loved her and showed her as much every day. Sadly, Lilly hadn't been as lucky.

Veronica shook her head ever so slightly at her own thoughts before she looked up back at Logan's eyes. He was making a goofy face, smiling at her. "What is it?" Veronica asked him cautiously, as she turned completely so that they were facing each other.

Logan kept his hands on her waist, and pulled them closer as he shrugged his shoulders. "You agreed with me without a fuss, hell must have frozen over…"

"Ha!" Veronica said sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she tried to move from Logan. He didn't let her, and instead pulled her all too close to him —their faces were merely inches from each other, and truth was, Veronica couldn't complain.

"Duncan's right outside…" Veronica pointed out softly, looking at him.

"I know…" Logan answered, and while he was looking at her, he wasn't exactly looking at her eyes, but at her lips. He bit his own lip then, and Veronica thought that was actually kind of _very_ sexy. Damn him!

When Logan looked back up at Veronica, he knew he had her just where he wanted her —in need of a kiss. He leaned in then, grabbing gently her face as Veronica closed her eyes, and Logan smiled triumphantly. He kissed her after a beat, and it was everything he could wish for a kiss. He loved this girl _so_ much.

They didn't kiss for too long —_they could after all already hear their kid going bananas in the living room_– but Logan still took a moment to rest their foreheads together, and stare into her eyes. "You taste like strawberry,"

Veronica whined playfully and groaned at his words. "Way to ruin the moment, Logan…" She pouted making Logan laugh. "You owe me now…" Logan shrugged his shoulders at that —as if that was punishment. "You are awful," She stated not meaning it at all, as Logan moved by her again.

"You love me,"

Veronica stuck her tongue out at him. "Yes, I do…" She admitted anyway as Logan placed his arm around her frame and the two of them started walking then back into the living room.

"Thank you for pushing me to meet Lilly…" Veronica told him _oh-so_ quietly when they reached the girls and Duncan. They three of them were busy setting the table so Veronica turned back to Logan and stole a quick kiss before she smiled and shrugged. "I love you."

"You too," He answered simply with a nod. Logan saw then as Veronica walked to the girls and with a smile, started helping them set their little table.

She _really_ was a good mom. And a good friend —his best friend actually. Logan had known she'd just been scared to face this new Lilly. That child brought them both memories —some of those rather sad memories, but…this Lilly was so not to blame of those, so in the end, Logan was glad Lilly had won today a new person to care for her —two people actually, three if they counted Elizabeth who was clearly fascinated by Lilly. [S1] Who knew and maybe one day things with Duncan and now his Daughter also could be like it once was —or perhaps not just like it was, maybe even _better…_

Around seven o'clock that day, when it was time for Veronica, Logan and Elizabeth to leave, it was clear everybody had had a good enough time. They've eaten, they've talked, they even shared a few beers and laughed…laughed with Duncan. It had felt surreal but still in a good way. Now that it was time to say goodbye, no one could deny it was a little sad.

Just now, as Logan was picking up Elizabeth's things, he couldn't ignore that extra-long moment Veronica was taking as she hugged Lilly goodbye. She was holding on to the child tight enough and she had her eyes closed when she kissed her head.

"You are a very lucky girl, you know that?" Veronica whispered to Lilly as she smiled at the girl. Lilly looked a bit lost, so Veronica elaborated. "You have the best daddy." She added, and at those words, Lilly smiled as wide as she could, and nodded her head.

Veronica was right.

"Do you think we'll see each other again?"

Veronica for some reason felt her heart break a little at that question. She still didn't hesitate to nod her head. "Of course sweetie," She replied honestly. "My own Daddy lives here in Neptune, so we come often. I'll see you then, and if you ever come to New York, you and Duncan are more than welcome at our place use, okay?"

Lilly was grinning now. "Yeah. Okay. Thank you,"

"You are welcome," Veronica replied as she pulled Lilly in for another brief hug. "I tell you something, when you convince your Daddy to bring you to New York to visit us; I promise I'll take you to all the cool places. I know a Broadway show you'll just love." She smiled, and was oh-so glad when Lilly did too.

"Thank you," Lilly whispered then as she lunged forward and hugged Veronica.

They stayed like that for a moment, and Veronica couldn't help the sigh that escaped her lips. "Be good, okay kid? Take care of your Daddy…"

"I will…" Elizabeth replied easily as if that was just something a twelve-year-old did.

Veronica still just nodded at her before kissing one last time that little girl's head.

"Time to go, V…" Logan said softly over Lilly's shoulder as he carried an exhausted Elizabeth in his arms. Elizabeth had partied as hard as she could —so to speak, and now was in that state on semi-consciousness resting her head on Logan's shoulder.

Veronica looked at him and nodded before looking back at Lilly. "Bye-bye Lilly," She said one last time as she walked now to where Duncan was standing.

They stayed in silence for a beat as Logan told Veronica he'd wait for her in the car with the baby. Lilly offered to help him, and Logan agreed simply with a smile.

"I…just…don't be a stranger, okay…" Veronica told him simply with a shrug of her shoulders.

Duncan was serious, but still offered a nod.

It was weird —things now weren't and couldn't be like before, she understood that just as well as Duncan did, but still… "Lilly is wonderful, and you…you are a great Dad," Veronica told him that then because it was true. "Whatever you need, we are here for you and that kid," She said in hers and Logan's name.

"Thank you…" Duncan told her simply, but then at last he formed a smile as he reached out and hugged Veronica.

That hug felt in a way just as it did all those years ago —Duncan still towered over her even though now she wore heels and all. "I love you," He said then, and while it took Veronica for surprise a little, she didn't say anything but just nodded at him when their eyes met again. "It was good seeing you. I'm glad you are happy," Duncan said then, and Veronica actually believed he meant that. "Elizabeth's precious." He added, and of course at that, Veronica grinned —she surely loved that baby.

"She is." She agreed before sharing a look with Duncan. He'd changed but his eyes hadn't —if she just looked him in the eye, she could still see that same boy she'd fallen in love with all those many years ago. He'd been her first love —as trouble-ly or messy as it might be, Duncan will forever have a place in her heart. "I'll see you soon," Veronica told him softly then as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. He was smiling when she pulled back. "Don't tell Logan about _that_," She joked making a silly face. "He still gets quite violent when it comes to little ol' me," She couldn't help a laugh as she said that —even when it was partly true.

Duncan laughed too but also rolled his eyes. "Take care of yourself Veronica," He told her one last time as he kissed her forehead and Veronica smiled.

Perhaps they would see each other soon, perhaps not, but one thing was for sure, doing everything she'd done for Duncan and Lilly once upon a time had been totally worth it. Sure, it had taken almost twelve years for her to be completely sure of that fact, but now she was. She'd spent time with Lilly, seen the wonderful, _happy _little girl she was growing up to be, and _that, _that made it totally worth it.

* * *

**AN: TBC! Thank You SO much for reading!**


	8. Chapter Eight - The Shoe Drops

**Chapter Eight - The Shoe Drops**

* * *

You know that saying about how sometimes bad things _have to happen_ before good things can? Well, Veronica had, and when she looked back at her life, the stupid saying seemed to ring true to her life a few too many times.

This time the good thing that happened had been a _great _thing actually. A great thing with a boy name and a _huge_ set of lungs. _However, _before said great thing happened, some really crappy things had to happen as well, and even when right now everything was okay again, Veronica couldn't help but shudder at the memories of only a few months ago.

So everything had started, just like that last time, when she missed a period. Logan wasn't in town though, so Veronica was left to deal with the yet-to-know-for-sure good news for a while. She hadn't even known how she felt about it. She knew things were great as they were right that moment, and truth was, a new baby kind of scared her at the time.

_A honk. Veronica had been so lost in thought when she heard a loud honk that broke her from her thoughts. She looked through the rearview mirror, and waved apologetically as she started the car again, and kept the carpool line moving. She was picking up Elizabeth from kindergarten, and while Veronica was indeed very much happy to see her little girl, her head was a mess right now. She didn't know what to do for sure. Should she call Logan and tell him, or just…wait for him to come back from Texas? He'd only been gone for a couple of days, but wouldn't be back for another couple, so—_

_A honk again. Crap. "Sorry…" Veronica muttered aloud as she put the car on gear, and parked right by Elizabeth and one of the teachers. She smiled and said Hello to the two of them before the teacher quickly helped Elizabeth into the car. "Hi honey…" Veronica said as she started driving again._

_Elizabeth buckled up and twisted her lips slightly before she spoke. "Mommy, when is Daddy coming home?" Elizabeth asked a little too serious for Veronica's liking._

_There was a red light, and so she turned around to look at her perky five-year-old. "In a couple of days." Veronica answered simply anyway. "Why? Everything okay?"_

_Elizabeth held her stare on Veronica's eyes for a moment before she nodded and looked out the window. _

_Veronica wasn't sure —since the light changed and she had to start driving again— but she was almost positive Elizabeth sighed at her answer. "Elizabeth…" She called after a few moments given how quiet Elizabeth was. Veronica was worrying a little, but not too much. Elizabeth was actually already known to be a little too dramatic about things some times. And at the very least this was taking Veronica's mind off…well, off possible little people growing inside her. _

_"Yeah?" Elizabeth answered, yet narrowed her eyes when Veronica turned down the music. She never did that. _

_"You wanna tell mommy what's wrong? You can trust mommy. You know that…"_

_Elizabeth was smiling and nodding when Veronica looked at her through the rearview mirror. That was much better. "It's a secret. You promise not to tell?" Elizabeth asked Veronica then._

_Veronica thought about it for a moment before she agreed. "I promise. Tell me what's up?"_

_"You know Daddy picks me up sometimes mommy?"_

_Well, of course Veronica knew that. She made the schedules every week, and while a little chaotic some weeks, most weeks the system worked well and they managed to keep the babysitters to the bare minimum. Veronica liked that, she liked that even if crazy some weeks, they were the ones raising their child, but…then what if she were actually pregnant? All of her system would have to change then completely again…_

_Crap. _

_In any case, despite her silly thoughts, Veronica managed to say an "Uh huh" at her daughter's question. _

_"Well, sometimes when Daddy picks me up we go to a place."_

_Veronica already knew where this was going. Oh man, this kid had totally fooled her with the sad face. "Yeah, where Elizabeth?" Veronica asked even though she already knew that answer. Well, she knew some of the possible answers. Logan was indeed famous for his after school destinations with Elizabeth._

_"The frozen yogurt place…" Elizabeth let out with a goofy smile as she waited for her mom's reaction._

_Thankfully, for her, it was a smile. Frozen Yogurt was never a bad idea in their world. Especially not today to be honest._

_When Veronica and Elizabeth made it home later that day, Bear —their dog…named by Logan once upon a time— greeted them both barking far too loudly. Elizabeth loved him though —that frigging dog was one of her best friends, and while a tiny Pomeranian didn't do much for Veronica –protection wise– she couldn't deny she liked the tiny darn thing as well. _

_"I missed you Bear," Elizabeth told Bear happily as he 'kissed' her all over her face. _

_Veronica looked at them with a small smile on her face, but still had to remind herself to tell Elizabeth to wash her face after she was finished with her make-out session with Bear. _

_Elizabeth was amazing —she really was, and not a day went by that Veronica wasn't thankful for her. She loved that baby so so much —and yet that was the thing, Elizabeth was certainly not a baby anymore. She had just turned five and while she was without a shadow of a doubt the best thing that had happened to Veronica's life —Logan's too, she was sure— they had never really talked about a second baby. _

_Maybe they just grew comfortable with how things were now? Things were...easier. Elizabeth was a decently well-behaved five year old, she was happy, she had just started kindergarten every day, she could almost dress by herself properly, she ate by herself, she did a good attempt at brushing her own teeth, she hadn't needed a diaper in a long long time, she was a good sleeper at night, and sometimes in the weekends she even woke up at nine. It was…nice. Thinking about doing it all again with another baby perhaps felt like too much —at the very least, it did for Veronica. How was she supposed to ask her baby girl to share her mommy and daddy with another baby? Sure, that baby would be her brother or sister but still…_

_Oh God, she seriously needed to stop thinking like that. She didn't even know for sure yet. Man, a call to Logan was seriously overdue right now. "Elizabeth?" Veronica called then and instead of having her daughter running to her, Bear did. She rolled her eyes but still couldn't help herself and sat down on the carpet as she started petting their very happy dog. "What do you think, huh Bear? Are we ready for another monster baby?" She asked playfully as she cupped Bear's face and petted his head. _

_Before Bear could answer —or better yet, before Veronica did it for him, Elizabeth came bouncing back into the room with a freshly clean face. "I'm all clean mama…" She announced as she sat down by Veronica and Bear. "You think we can read now?" Elizabeth asked as she met her mom's eyes. She was looking at her funny, which made Elizabeth look back at her funny too. "What?" She asked with a giggle as Bear now went to her and Elizabeth gave him a big great hug —maybe a little too tight, but…a loving hug nonetheless._

_"Nothing…we can read a story honey. Of course," Veronica offered with a smile. "Do you wanna FaceTime with Daddy first though? I told him we'd call when we got home?"_

_Needless to say Elizabeth was nodding her head all too strongly as soon as Veronica told her that. "Yes, please!" She chirped getting up from the floor already and getting Veronica's purse from the couch she'd set it._

_"Hi Daddy!" Elizabeth grinned wide when they finally managed to get ahold of Logan._

_Veronica was sitting right behind Elizabeth, and while she could see Logan, he could only see Elizabeth. "Hi honey, I miss you." He told her sincerely making Veronica smile. If she was a sucker whenever she had to be out of town because of a case, Logan was ten times worse…_

_"I miss you too, Daddy. How's Texas?" She asked knowing her Daddy was down in Texas doing some businesses with some people that spoke Spanish. He wasn't very good at Spanish though —last time her mommy had tried to teach him some words, Elizabeth had seen Veronica laughing a little too much at Logan's pronunciation, so no…Daddy wasn't very good at Spanish, but she still loved him._

_"It's good baby girl. It's hot though."_

_Elizabeth made a surprise face at that. "I had to wear a jacket today." She informed with a nod. "It's fall time already, you know?"_

_"Yeah?" Logan asked, honestly just because he wanted to hear her answer._

_"Yeah. We made a leaves collage today at school. I liked mine a lot." Well, good to know the girl was humble._

_"That's good Ellie. Will you show it to me when I come back?" Elizabeth nodded her head strongly at the question. "Good baby." Logan replied as he let out a small breath. This whole being away wasn't just anybody's business for sure. It was tough. "Where's mommy little girl?" _

_"She's right here silly," Elizabeth replied with a chuckle as she lifted up the iPad so that Logan could see Veronica. She smirked at him the moment their eyes met, and right then Logan missed being home all the more. "Did you think I was by myself?" Elizabeth giggled again as she asked her question, bringing the iPad down again. _

_"No, I didn't…" Logan grumbled playfully knowing Elizabeth loved it when he did that._

_"Yes, you did." She answered back before without her wanting it, a yawn escaped her mouth._

_"You tired monkey?"_

_Elizabeth thought about saying no, but…she didn't like to lie. "Yes, a little. Mommy was going to read me a story now…" She said as she tilted her head back and smiled at her mom._

_Veronica smiled back and nodded. "How about you go and pick a book from your room and we'll read it with Daddy?"_

_Her words did the job, and not a minute later Elizabeth was already skipping out of the room in search of the perfect book._

_"How are you stranger?" Veronica asked Logan then as she grabbed the iPad and faced that boy of hers._

_"Well, you know…I just gave all the other girls a break. Told them I needed to check in with the lady at home," He said with a smirk, but instead of laughing, Veronica stared at him with a pointed look and a raised eyebrow. "I'm doing okay, how are you V?" He told her then, sounding much softer and honest._

_Veronica smiled. "I have to tell you something." She said scrunching up her nose, as she checked Elizabeth wasn't coming back yet —Good thing that kid could take ages picking up a book. _

_"Everything okay?" Logan asked then not missing a beat._

_"Yeah everything's okay…" Veronica said, putting him at ease, right before she grew a bit thoughtful._

_"What?" Logan said as he tried to read her face._

_Veronica twisted her lips. "Everything is okay now," She assured him again. "But I guess it could stay okay or not so okay depending on how you wanna see it." Logan was completely lost as she said that._

_"What are you talking about Veronica?"_

_She looked at the iPad's screen for another moment before letting out a breath. "I think I'm pregnant," She blurted out then because what the heck, she had to say it aloud to Logan, or otherwise she was going to go completely bananas._

_Logan in any case wasn't sure if he'd heard that right. He stayed quiet for one minute too long then and Veronica even feared the internet had died and the screen was frozen._

_None of that happened though, and instead before Veronica could start freaking out on him, one of those huge smiles made its way to Logan's face. "Are you serious?"_

_Okay, the smile on his face surely was better than whatever Veronica could have expected of him. She loved that smile. "Yeah, I think so. Checked the calendar today. Period was supposed to come last Sunday…" She said with wide eyes because seriously, lately, with all the craziness; the kid, the job, the significant other, the family, the extended family, the friends, the everything, there really wasn't all that much time to worry about when her period was coming or not —besides, they were always safe when it came to sex, so it wasn't as if she was expecting falling pregnant at all. _

_Her words in any case, only caused Logan's smile to turn into a genuine grin. "You think we are cooking a baby then?"_

_ "Maybe…" Veronica replied quietly looking at him on the screen —though the real answer was most certainly yes…Her breasts had definitely been sore lately, and to this day, the other one time Veronica had felt like this, it was once upon a time when she was pregnant with Elizabeth._

_In all honesty, Veronica couldn't ask for more evidence that showed she was pregnant, other than the positive pregnancy test she still had to take._

_"Will you wait for me to take the test?" Logan asked her then as he kept the brightest smile on his face. _

_Veronica rolled her eyes a little, but also smiled…he was cute sometimes. "Sure dummy," She told him simply. "You'd better hurry up though," She warned just as their little girl walked back into the room with…well, with like five books in her hands._

_"I couldn't pick just one!" She cried playfully as she went to sit right on her Mom's lap. "I'm back Daddy…wanna read now?"_

_"Of course baby girl…" Logan replied with a smile as his eyes shifted up to Veronica's. Who knew and soon enough they would actually have yet another baby to call that —now more rightfully so…_

_xxxx_

_Later that night, after Veronica finally read Elizabeth all of her books, and the kid was tucked in bed ready for a nice night's sleep, Veronica couldn't help but stay with her sleepy child for a little while longer. They were in Elizabeth's bed, Elizabeth lying down on the bed with her head resting on Veronica's lap, as her mom slowly stroked her hair. _

_"Ellie…" Veronica whispered after a few moments of silence. Elizabeth wasn't asleep yet, but she sure wanted to close her eyes already —she was tired, but she also wanted to hear mommy. _

_"Yeah?"_

_"What we have going on is nice, don't you think?" Veronica asked Elizabeth then as if the kid had any idea of what she was talking about._

_Sure enough, Elizabeth didn't answer, but instead shifted her head so that she could meet her mommy's eyes. She didn't say a word then, she just looked up at Veronica as if she were crazy._

_"You and me, and your Daddy…that's what I mean. What we have is…nice…" Elizabeth smiled but she still had no idea what was going on. _

_"I'm just saying I like our family, goofy girl," Veronica explained as simply as she could then with a smile._

_"Oooh…" Elizabeth let out playfully right before Veronica started tickling her. "Stop mommy, stop!" She giggled._

_After a moment Veronica did stop, and also slowly got up from the bed —it was already past Elizabeth's bedtime. "Goodnight little girl. Sleep tight." Veronica said now a little bit more seriously as she tucked Elizabeth again._

_Elizabeth was smiling as she grabbed the blankie she still slept with. "I like our family, too Mommy…" She promised with her sweet voice, and for reasons completely beyond her, Veronica started feeling her eyes pooling with tears._

_She was so not going to cry in front of Elizabeth though. "I know you do…" She said simply, before leaning in and kissing Elizabeth on the forehead. "I love you. I'll see you tomorrow." She promised as she kissed the girl one last time before turning off her bedside lap._

_"Night night mommy…"_

_"Night night…" The truth was, the idea of a new baby right now actually did terrify her. Mostly because every time Veronica thought about it; the way life was right now, and how it would be, she just couldn't imagine how could it even be possible to love someone else the way she loved Elizabeth? That just sounded hard and pretty impossible. But… maybe it didn't have to be that way, and maybe this baby would be just as loved as his big sister…just in a different way, right?_

_xxxx_

It had been three days later when hell broke loose. It had been the day Logan came home from Texas that everything went wrong. It'd been a nightmare than started like a pretty normal Thursday evening.

Veronica came home around five that day despite her thinking she'd be home later that day. It had happened that the deposition she had, ran shorter than she'd expected it. She however, didn't call Logan to tell him she was home yet, but instead did a little pick up around the house and cooked dinner knowing Elizabeth and Logan would be home around six after Elizabeth's ballet class. Even though today was Thursday and normally one of the days Veronica picked up Elizabeth from school, she'd been so swamped at work Logan had volunteered to get their kid. _"I haven't seen her in over five days, Veronica…I wanna see her face,"_ He'd said earlier on the phone making Veronica smile.

In the end, while by six o'clock, the apartment was sparkling clean, and dinner was in the oven, everything went downhill after that. Veronica turned on the TV and for some damned reason E! Television was on, and it was…_bad_. Pictures of Logan were on the screen and she didn't understand one little bit what was going on. It took her less than two minutes to get her phone and Google Logan's name. It was the understatement of the year to say Veronica didn't like what she read. And even when Veronica knew better than to believe everything the tabloids said, she couldn't deny the part in her that was terrified at what they were saying.

And just in that moment Veronica heard their front door opening and little feet walking in. Veronica cursed under her breath as she rapidly turned off the TV and put away her phone. For some reason she had tears in her eyes she hadn't even felt, so before stepping into the living room to greet her daughter, she wiped them away and made herself keep it together —if only for a while.

"Hi, sweetie," Veronica chanted as happily as she could when Elizabeth spotted her and ran in her direction. Veronica smiled down at her and nodded as Elizabeth told her how exciting today's class had been.

"Miss Katie said my plié was great mama. She really said that!" Elizabeth was so so happy, and while Veronica wanted to feel as happy as her little girl did, she just couldn't. She forced a smile to her face looking at Elizabeth before Logan walked in the room as well. He was dragging two of his suitcases, and it took all of one quick look to Veronica before he knew something was wrong. Very wrong in fact.

Veronica bit her lip as she looked at him, and Logan knew she was struggling not to cry. He didn't understand what was happening at all, so he just put down the suitcases and walked closer to Elizabeth and Veronica. "Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth still had the biggest smile on her face as she looked up at Logan. She wanted to tell her mommy everything! Everything about today! After all it was the very first time she had gotten a real compliment from her —_always so not charming—_ ballet teacher, so they couldn't blame her for being so excited and happy.

Logan had other plans for her though. "Do you want to go watch a show before dinner?"

Elizabeth was then fast to narrow her eyes. "It's a school day," She pointed out matter of factly. She was not allowed to watch TV during the week. At least not before dinner —ever. She always was to do her schoolwork first, eat, and then maybe if she was very good, they all watched a show together before bath time and bedtime.

"You don't want to?"

"Oh, no I do!" She replied quickly with a smile before turning to Veronica —Elizabeth had learned very early on that the one with the power was mom. "Can I mommy?"

Veronica could barely nod her head at her daughter. "Sure, go ahead…" Veronica whispered before moving so that Elizabeth couldn't see her face anymore.

Logan kept her eyes on Veronica for a moment before Elizabeth dragged him into the playroom so that he could help her with the TV.

All the while before returning to the living room Logan thought so hard in just what could have happen. He was at a lost. He then started to replay the last few days and then something clicked…the baby, maybe? They weren't even sure if she was pregnant for real, but maybe it had something to do with that?

Oh damn!

"There you go Elizabeth," Logan said as he handed her the remote and kissed the top of her head. "Call me when it's finished and we'll eat."

Elizabeth just nodded at him as her eyes stayed on the TV.

Logan took a deep breath bracing himself to whatever was about to happen. "Hey Veronica, are you okay?" Logan asked needlessly knowing already she was all but okay.

His heart nearly broke right when she turned to him and had a few tears on her face. "Hey, what's wrong?" He was in full worried mode now. Logan walked to her and tried to pull her into his arms.

Veronica pushed him away and shook her head though. "You didn't do it, did you?"

Logan was confused. "Did I do what?"

"Logan," Veronica tried to say but her voice broke.

"What did I do, Veronica?" Logan tried again, keeping his voice soft for Elizabeth but still carrying strong for Veronica. "What happened?"

Veronica at this point chose not to speak anymore, but instead she turned on the TV, and while she kept it muted, both of them saw then again what was happening.

Veronica turned her eyes from the TV almost immediately though. She looked at Logan and saw the way his eyes narrowed with sheer confusion and he shook his head instantly. He had no idea what was happening either. "You didn't do it, did you?"

Logan was still trying to process what the TV was saying, but… "No…absolutely no." He said, still very much shocked reading the CC from the TV.

It took him a moment or two before he was able to look at Veronica. "I have no idea what they are talking about. I swear." He promised, squaring Veronica to him and staring powerfully into her eyes. "I didn't do anything."

Veronica stared back at him with teary eyes and her stomach full of knots but in the end, she nodded. She believed him. "They say the guy's in the hospital. He's probably going to die…" Her voice cracked again and she shook her head as Logan cradled her into his arms, and this time Veronica didn't put up a fuss.

"I haven't done anything. I promise you that, Veronica." Logan swore one more time as Veronica hugged him back tightly.

They stayed like that for a few minutes until Veronica felt calm enough to look at Logan. She swallowed hard and steadied herself. "They are saying the reporter was trying to take pictures of you and you beat him up."

Logan nodded at her, he'd understood as much from the news. "I don't know what they are talking about. I swear. When did I supposedly do that?"

Veronica thought about it before shaking her head. "Earlier today I think…" She answered uneasily, as her eyes then started looking for her phone. She was reading just that when Logan and Elizabeth made it home. She reached down and grabbed it from the couch. She scrolled down on her phone as Logan stared at her looking for answers as well. "It says they brought the reporter to the hospital around three o'clock, meaning whatever went down had to happen not long before that…" Veronica kept her eyes down on the phone, reading a little more before looking back up at Logan.

He swallowed hard and looked uneasy, but in truth, Veronica couldn't blame him. "I was with Elizabeth the whole time."

Now it was Veronica who narrowed her eyes. "What time did you pick her up from school?"

"At one."

"One?"

"I…I wanted to take her out to lunch, I hadn't seen her in forever," —_five days_— "So I picked her up early. She was with me the whole time. Honestly what I don't get is why they are saying it was me?"

Veronica took a moment before answering. "That's what the reporter said before passing out or going into surgery, I don't know…" She sighed, putting down her phone again, and walking to Logan. "Let me see your hands?" She asked him seriously.

He squinted his eyes confused but he still did as she asked him. Logan stretched out his arms and flipped his hands at her cautiously.

"You are clean…" Veronica stated then, looking back and forth between his hands and his eyes. Logan was still looking back at her confused. "If you'd beat up someone as the press is trying to tell people you did, your hands would be a mess as well…" She elaborated, and for a moment Logan simply looked down at his own hands as well.

That was true. "You don't think I could've done this, right? Besides the hands, I mean…"

Honestly, Veronica knew Logan could have done it —not that she thought she did this at all, but truth was, he _could _have done it in a moment of rage. Did admitting to that made her a bad person? A bad partner? She wasn't sure, but right now she wasn't going to be one to start a fight with Logan. She couldn't lie to his face either, though. "Logan…" Veronica said, tilting her head, and making a face at him.

Logan rolled his eyes and looked away from her but didn't refute the comment either. "Well, I didn't do it." He said as he turned to look back at Veronica, and was glad when he saw her nodding her head.

She believed in him —and not just because of his hands. "I know you didn't." Veronica stated back seriously. Logan looked at her as if expecting more, though. "You were with Elizabeth." She added then as if that was the answer to all his questions. "You won't even scream at Bear when he pisses everywhere if Elizabeth happens to be in the same room. You would never beat a person with your daughter in front of you." Veronica's voice had carried strong and certain for the first time that evening as she said that.

Logan thought about her words for a moment before nodding. That was true. He didn't want Elizabeth growing up thinking he was in any way violent. He'd tried, he really had tried for the last almost five years that child had been in their lives to shrug off things more, and let go of things that are not worth it as well.

Veronica was right. Logan could have beaten that reporter person in his sleep if he'd provoked him, but given Elizabeth was with him, she was sure he'd contained himself.

They needed to talk business now though. "I think we should go to the police,"

Logan shook his head immediately. "What are you talking about Veronica? I didn't do anything. Thought we'd agreed on that one."

Veronica nodded slowly her head. "Yeah, and that's exactly why we have to go." She told him before reaching down and grabbing his hand into hers. She walked them both to the couch and they sat down facing one another. "The police is going to get involved eventually —especially if they think they have something on you like the news say, so…I don't know, call me bonkers if you will, but I'd rather not have NYPD come and take you from our home."

Logan didn't say anything at that, and instead was completely serious staring into Veronica's teary blue eyes.

"We'll go and you will cooperate. You will answer all of their questions so they can do their job Logan." Veronica bit on her lip as he stayed silent —she knew he was so upset about this, and she understood as much, but…if they wanted to get out of this whole mess, then they had to do things right.

Veronica took a calming breath before moving even closer to Logan. There was no gap between them anymore as she grabbed his face tenderly into her hands and stared at his eyes. "I _am _pregnant you know?" She said smiling slightly. Logan's eyes went wide, and she shrugged her shoulders. "I know I promised to wait for you, but I…I took a test last night. I thought we'd do the double checking together again, but…you know, things changed…" Veronica explained uneasily. "But so it _is_ happening, and…You, well, you _need_ to be here, okay? That's why we have to go to the police…"

That was the closest thing Veronica would get to admit she needed him, and Logan knew it —and appreciate it, and agreed. Of course there would be no way in hell for him to be away from his family –not now, not ever. "Fine," He agreed after a moment, but a sad smile appeared on his face when Veronica let out a breath leaning in, and resting their foreheads together. "It'll be okay. I didn't do anything." Logan promised her sincerely one more time. Their eyes met, and he brought up his hands to her face. "It's going to be okay." He promised again, smirking goofily this time. His smile did the trick and Veronica smiled, right before Logan took her lips into his.

They kissed for a moment before Veronica pulled away and she was back in business mode. "Before we go, I need you to tell me exactly what happened today," Veronica told him seriously, as she eyed the corridor; at this point, she was already expecting Elizabeth to show up asking for some food. They needed to do this anyway. "From the beginning, tell me everything you did today…" Veronica added, and right then Logan was reminded this was what she did for a living every day.

It was funny —_not the soon to be accused with murder charges part_— but the fact that they were coming full circle in a way. Here they were the two of them, a few too many years later, and yet Veronica was still saving his ass. Oh good times…

She was starting to grow impatient with his lack of words, though. "Well…"

"Right…" Logan replied as he started thinking about his day. "My flight was at 8:30am so I made it to the airport a little while before seven. After doing all the security crap I went to the gate, and I called you." Veronica nodded as he said that, that matched her timeline just right. They've talked around eight that morning. "After that I boarded, and was back at JFK at 1230 at most." That was true too; he sent a text message after landing as well. "They held up my bags at the airport for some reason, so I had to wait a few extra minutes to get them. After that, I swung by the office to drop some paperwork, but after I was done with that, I just thought I'd pick up Elizabeth earlier so I did. I took her to Serendipity and it was great, she was great…"

Veronica couldn't help but sigh as she heard all that. How much she wished she was hearing this story in such different circumstances. "Were there any paparazzi at all?"

That was a silly question. "At the restaurant?" Veronica just nodded. "Of course. But there the paps were more into other people's kids than Elizabeth or me…" He admitted seriously.

"Okay so what did you guys do then?"

Logan looked up thinking for a moment. "She wanted donuts…"

As she heard that, the mom in Veronica kicked in and she forgot about everything for a moment. "Wait, so you took Elizabeth to Serendipity _and_ then out for donuts?"

Logan made a coy face. "What? I hadn't seen her face in like…_a week_ Veronica, and she was acting all cute and sweet. I've lost the battle way before the first fight began…"

Veronica couldn't help but smile; that sounded just about right. Elizabeth was certainly _that _kind of kid already; she could certainly make her daddy do just about everything she asked. Oh well…

"So in the end we grabbed a couple donuts to go, and headed to the park—"

"Which park?" Veronica interrupted.

She wasn't writing anything he'd told her down, but he knew she wouldn't forget a single thing.

"Griffith Park,"

Veronica nodded her head; Elizabeth liked that park quite a bit.

"We ate our donuts there and she played for a while. It was when we were leaving that we spotted the paps again…" Logan's tone changed as he said that. So something _did _happen, huh?

"What happened?"

"Er, Elizabeth saw them first–"

"She did?" As far as Veronica knew, Elizabeth didn't know all that much about paparazzi, now did she?

"Well, we were walking towards the car and she stopped and pointed to some guys with cameras standing by the car. I wasn't happy but I didn't say anything either. I just held her in my arms and walked to the car. My plan was not to let them see her so they couldn't take the picture, but—"

"–But what Logan?"

"But I couldn't find my keys so I had to put her down. I warned those guys not to take a picture of her before putting her down, and all of them but one backed off."

Now Veronica understood a little why the media was making such a big deal of this. All those other paparazzi had seen Logan and whatever went down with him and that pap. "Did he take pictures of Elizabeth,"

"Yup…" Logan replied simply.

"What did you do then?"

"I just tried to block the guy as I got Elizabeth inside the car. Then I walked to the guy, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and took his camera from him. I didn't do anything with it, though." Logan warned before Veronica's head could go to dark places.

Logan then got up from the couch and started looking into his pockets. "Got it!" Logan exclaimed showing Veronica what he'd found. "All I did was take the SD card from his camera. I reminded him then that none of them had any right to take any pictures of my daughter and then left. I swear."

"What about at Ballet class? Did you find any paps there?" Veronica wanted to believe so bad everything he was saying. And while most of her did, one little itsy part of her feared Logan was downplaying his encounter with the paparazzi after Elizabeth was in the car.

"Nope…" He answered sincerely. At that class there usually weren't many celebrity kids, hence not that many paparazzi most of the time. "After Elizabeth was finished, we came straight home." Logan added after a moment, not even wanting to imagine how things were going to get from now on. "What do you think V?"

Veronica was quiet for a moment, as she was still trying to process all the information. "All those paparazzi saw you take the guy's camera and grabbed him, so that might look bad, but I don't see what else they may have on you…" She explained trying so so hard to put this puzzle together.

Veronica was silent for several moments, before shaking her head and speaking again. "I made dinner, so the three of us are going to sit down now and eat, but after Elizabeth's down for the day we are going to the police station, okay?"

Logan appreciated she helping him and all, but that sounded awful. "So what, we pretend for the next couple of hours nothing's wrong? One last family dinner before heading to execution?"

"Oh, don't get all smartass on me. I…I just don't want Elizabeth to think something's wrong." Veronica stated before turning away from Logan.

He wasn't done speaking though. "But something _is _wrong, Veronica." Logan stated sadly, walking after her and grabbing her elbow. Veronica turned around and he closed the gap between them. "I'm sorry," He said simply then. "We'll do things your way. I'm just…I just can't believe this is happening…" He really thought he'd left all his '_legal matters'_ behind, years ago.

Veronica in any case could only let out a weak laugh. "You and I both honey." She told him with a small smile before Logan pulled her to him and they hugged.

xxxx

It was around two and a half hours later when Veronica and Logan were almost ready to go. As of that moment Logan was still with Elizabeth in her bedroom, reading her one last story, while Veronica had been on the phone making sure she had a good lawyer queued up in case things with Logan tonight didn't turn out as they were hoping.

She shook her head and sat on the couch as she waited for Logan to finish up with Elizabeth. For a guy who had been so vocal about not wanting to pretend everything was fine in front of Elizabeth even when it wasn't, Logan had done a wonderful job. He'd just been his normal self with the kid —something Veronica could hardly pull off to be honest. She couldn't stop worrying a second, but on the other hand, Logan had been amazing, and had done just as he always did with Elizabeth. They goofed around before dinner was served, they talked and joked at the table like always, he tickled her and told her he loved her time and time again before bedtime.

Only thinking about someone wanting to ruin _this —_her family, made Veronica's blood boil.

However, before she could give herself more time to dwell, Logan stepped out of Elizabeth's room at last then, and headed to the living room. "Ready…" He said softly.

Veronica stood up and ever so slightly smiled at him. "You are a very good dad, you know that, right?" He really was, and for no reason other than what was about to happen, Veronica wanted to make sure he knew it.

Logan let out a soft chuckle before nodding his head. "Let's go…" He said motioning with his head towards the door. Veronica walked towards him, and together they said goodbye to the sitter and headed to the police station.

Once they got there, things weren't as clear as they had been back at their apartment. There had been many paparazzi the moment they left the apartment, and some of the SUVs even followed them for parts of the ride. It had been awful, and it had only gotten worse once they got to the station. Veronica had done most of the talking at first, but soon after, they learned there was already an arrest warrant issued for Logan. He was taken into interrogation almost immediately, and it had been as Veronica called one of the best lawyers she knew from her firm, that she got even more bad news; the reporter Logan supposedly beat up, had died…

xxxx

"Two alleged witnesses are picking him out from a line-up, right now…" David, Logan's lawyer as of right now, told Veronica with a grim face.

She threw her head back and let out a breath before focusing back. "Can you please tell me what they have on him?"

It actually was kind of weird for David to see Veronica like this; he had known her for years, ever since she started working at the firm, but never before he'd seen her so out of sorts. She was always the one to keep it together for their clients, even when things looked terrible, she had that gift of showing herself calm and in control.

Right now however, David was getting to see the complete opposite on her. "They took the reporters clothes to the lab, and apparently some of the samples they took matched Logan's hair…"

That didn't make any sense. "That doesn't make any sense…at all…" Veronica said mostly to herself then, but still loud enough for David to hear her.

"They have eyewitnesses that came forward saying they saw Logan earlier today heading it with the paparazzo. They have people saying they saw the whole beating, others saying Logan was just defending himself, others completely denying the news…it's…a messy case Veronica…" To say the least, David thought as he looked at a very distraught Veronica. "Logan's testimony mostly added up, but…"

"What?" Veronica interrupted not liking at all how this conversation was going. She wanted to hear a plan, something to get Logan out of this, but instead all she was hearing was that this was a messy, case? Come on!

"His hair on the reporter's clothes. If what he said is true, and he didn't touch him, how did his hair and probably more of his body fluids ended up on his clothes?"

Veronica couldn't explain that so she just puffed and looked away from David for a moment. "He didn't do it, okay? That's all you need to know." She knew that wasn't the logical thing to say or how things worked, but as of right now Veronica was starting to realize that she was losing her cool. God, she was so rusty when it came to save Logan from one of these messes…

"I understand this isn't a regular case for you—"

"No shit, Sherlock…" Veronica snapped at him, before pursing her lips and making a fist with her hands. He was trying to do his job, but…it was hard to keep it together. "Sorry. I…I just…we need to come up with a plan, all right? I don't know how his hair got to that person's clothes, I can't explain that, but…there has to be a way to get him out of this. Multiple people saw him today and can testify his whereabouts throughout the day —did they take his clothes?" David nodded his head. "Well that's good. They aren't going to find anything linking him to the reporter I'm sure."

"He could've washed himself earlier, Veronica…" David added then, not wanting to upset her more, but trying for her to think objectively —many of the things on this case seemed to be circumstantial as far as David understood right now.

"But he didn't,"

"But he could have."

Veronica took in a breath. "Do you think they are going to charge him?" This time her question was made softly and even carrying some fear. The worst part was that Veronica already knew the answer to her own question and that was what terrified her.

"Second degree murder, yes…"

Okay, that didn't sound good. Veronica closed her eyes and started trying to breathe as she processed that. God, she felt as though she was going to be sick. How could this be happening?

"There's something we should do now…or…as soon as possible…"

Veronica's eyes snapped open as David said that. "What?"

"The kid—"

"What?"

"Yeah, your daughter, wasn't she with Logan for the better part of the day?" Veronica simply nodded her head. "Then we should have her testimony."

"Absolutely not. Are you kidding me?" Veronica replied right away, feeling out of sorts again. "Elizabeth's five years old—"

"I thought she was six,"

"She just turned five a couple of months ago, but what does it matter, she's a child, she's _my _child, and you are asking me to make her go through a trial? Her father's no least?"

David shook his head at those statements. "That is not what I said. We don't even know yet if Logan would go to trial. You know that. What I think we should do however, is bring Elizabeth down, let the DA ask her questions about today and put everything in the record in case is needed. She's the prime witness whether you want to see it or not Veronica. If you want to help your husband, then bringing the child would be a good idea. If we wait too long her testimony is not even going to be valid anymore, but if we do it fast, chances are we could get her testimony to at least raise reasonable doubt _if _we get to the point when we have to go to trial…"

Veronica was completely quiet thinking about all those words. David was right, and if the circumstances were any different, then Veronica was sure she would be pushing to get the kid's testimony as well. This kid was her own daughter though. That made things only a gazillion times harder.

Veronica in any case knew what the right thing to do was. "Fine…" She felt oh-so guilty that she was bringing Elizabeth into this mess, but…what was worse? A crappy afternoon or who knows how much time with her dad put away?

That child loved —_adored_ her father, Veronica in truth would be the last person on earth to let something get in way of that. "Elizabeth's not coming here though. We could…do the interrogation at my place. You go tell them that, tell the DA we agreed to Elizabeth answering whatever questions they have, but she's not coming here. And I have to be there too—"

"You know that's not possible." David was way too fast to reply then. "If you want this to work you know you are not even allowed to see your daughter until the questions are made and answered. You understand me?"

Veronica shook her head strongly and got up from her chair. "Are you freaking kidding me? This is my kid we are talking about!"

"Yeah I know, and I'm trying to help her…_and_ _your husband_, and you, but you are making it too damn hard," David said exasperated as well. "You are a lawyer, you are freaking good damn lawyer at that, and are you seriously telling me you want to throw the whole testimony to the trash just so you can be there. Is not going to happen…" He said sternly, lowering down his voice a bit. This had been the first time he'd ever yelled to Veronica —it was usually she who lost her temper on him when he got things wrong.

Needlessly to say this time _she _was the one making all the mistakes though. "What do you say Veronica, are you going to let me do my job, or not?"

Veronica hated him, hated him more than anything in the world right now, but… "Yeah…" Veronica said between gritted teeth at last. She looked up at David and shook her head. "You need to draw a line, they can't just ask Elizabeth whatever, understand? And the minute they do or say something to upset her, she's out of there, got it?"

"Fair enough…" David replied before taking some papers from the table before them. "I'm going to make the proposal and get back to you after I talk with the district attorney. I'm going to try to set this for tomorrow first thing, okay?"

"Yeah…"

"Okay…" David answered before he started walking in the door's direction. He turned to Veronica before leaving. "I'm just trying to help,"

Veronica didn't look at him, but still nodded her head. "I know…this is just…_my family _in the line. Can you understand that?"

David nodded, and for a moment, the two of them just looked at each other. "This is important; I got it…See ya in a bit…"

xxxx

The next morning Veronica opened her eyes to find Logan staring into hers. She didn't mean to fall asleep, she'd just closed her eyes for a minute but apparently she'd passed out in seconds. "Hi…I fell asleep…" She mumbled swallowing hard a little, as she finished waking up and took in her surroundings.

She let out a breath at realizing it hadn't been a nightmare and they were indeed in an interrogation room and Logan was a murder suspect —again. "Did you spend the night here?"

Veronica shook her head right away. "No dummy, I just got here a while ago…" She told him as she got up from her seat and instead let Logan sit down. She looked down at him with a soft smile before Logan reached out his arms and helped her sit on his lap. Veronica tried not to but she completely melted at his touch. She'd missed him so much last night —it had been a little weird since she was indeed used to him being away sometimes, but given the circumstances Veronica thought it was at least slightly normal that she'd missed him more than usual.

"I actually stayed the night at David's."

Logan made a face at that. "The lawyer? _My_ lawyer?"

Veronica just nodded her head.

"Why?"

"I couldn't go home," Veronica answered with a shrug of her shoulders. "David doesn't want to tamper with Elizabeth's testimony at all, so it was best if we just weren't together at all until this was all finished…" Logan made an uneasy face, and it didn't take much for Veronica to match it. "Dad took the red eye, he's at home with Elizabeth; did I tell you that?"

"No," Logan replied as he looked at Veronica's eyes again. "But that's good. I'm glad." He said genuinely relieved.

Veronica smiled a little and leaned in kissing him. "She's okay. She's a tough monkey, she's probably even going to think it's fun to have that people there asking her stuff about herself. You know her."

Well, that was actually the truth, for one reason or the other; Elizabeth did have a bit of a diva in her, and loved attention. "Tell me again how this is going to work…"

"They will just sit down with her and ask her about herself, all the small stuff to make sure she can in fact answer with the truth. They record the whole thing, and then if we end up going to court, her testimony would be shown. I think David is really counting on Elizabeth remembering the paparazzi but more than that he's hoping what Elizabeth says matches exactly what you said. That…that's the idea…"

"Okay…" Logan said back simply, running his hands up and down Veronica's frame. "How are you holding up?"

Veronica smiled at him sweetly. "I'm okay…" She wasn't, but he already knew that. "I just want this to be finished…"

"Yeah, me too…" Logan agreed, kissing strongly the side of her head. "Me too…"

xxxx

"Can you tell the camera your name?"

Elizabeth was nervous for some reason; these were a lot of people in her home. Even Grandpa was here, and her mommy's boss, and all those others she didn't know completely. She looked over at her Grandpa and when he smiled at her, Elizabeth nodded her head and smiled as she looked over at the man asking her the question. "My name's Elizabeth. I'm five years old, and I'm in kindergarten,"

The prosecutor nodded at her and was pleased with her answer. "That was going to be my next question. But that's great Elizabeth. So you are in school?"

Elizabeth nodded her head. "My teacher's name is Miss Theresa. She's very nice even though sometimes she gets cranky when we don't listen."

There were a total of 6 people sitting around Elizabeth at the dining room table, and at her words not one of them could not smile. She sure was a good kid, and right then not even David could deny the resemblance with her mother. Elizabeth sure was just as charming and cute as her mom.

"That makes sense Elizabeth," The prosecutor answered before moving on. "Do you want to tell us about your mommy and Daddy?" Elizabeth nodded her head. "Okay, how about you just tell us what's your mommy's name?"

"Veronica," Elizabeth replied before looking at Keith and smiling at him. "She's too a lawyer," She added sweetly after a moment, looking at all the people at the table.

"And she's a very good one, you know that, Elizabeth?" Chloe, Veronica's boss chimed in then making Elizabeth smile.

"I do…" She replied cockily nodding her head.

"How about your Daddy Elizabeth?"

"His name is Logan," She replied thoughtfully. "He works with airplanes." She said as she did with her hand the airplane motion. "One time we went to see really loud airplanes at the beach. I think they were blue airplanes, and Daddy said they were _awesome_," She parroted as some of the lawyers smiled while others took notes.

Elizabeth was then asked a few more filling questions before the prosecutor finally found a way to get to the point. "So your teacher said your Daddy picked you up earlier from school, is that right?"

Elizabeth smiled immediately as he said that. Her Daddy coming earlier had made her so happy. "Daddy was in Texas. He came on an airplane yesterday and then he went to get me at school. We had _so_ much fun!" Elizabeth confessed with a giggle. "Daddy took me to a restaurant, and to the park, and we had donuts!" She giggled again at the memory. "Yesterday wasn't a sugar day, but Daddy still said it was okay to eat just a _little_ bit…" She admitted, looking goofily at the camera.

"That sounds like fun Elizabeth, you want to tell us what else did you do with your Daddy?"

Elizabeth squished her face as she thought about it. "We played at the park for a long time and then we had to go to my Ballet class, but…"

"What sweetie?" Veronica's boss voice chimed in then. They were so close, _so_ close…

"We were late a little," She said uneasily.

"Why is that Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. "You know those people with cameras that take pictures of you on the streets?" The lawyer nodded. "Some of them were outside the park yesterday and they wanted to take pictures…" Elizabeth pouted a little looking down at her hands. "I don't know why they do that…" She admitted, looking sadly up at the prosecutor.

He smiled kindly at her. "What did your Daddy do when those guys took pictures of you?"

Elizabeth thought for a moment before shaking her head. "What he always does. He told them not to do it, but they did it anyway…Those guys don't have really good listening ears, you know?"

"I'm sure they don't Elizabeth." The prosecutor agreed with this five-year-old girl. "Was your Daddy upset, did he scream at the photographers?"

Elizabeth didn't hesitate when she shook her head and clearly said no. "No. The other guys were screaming, Daddy doesn't scream. He says screaming at others is not nice, so we don't do it."

Her words made everybody smile slightly. "You are right Elizabeth, we shouldn't do it. You want to tell me what else did you do with your Daddy?"

"We went to my Ballet class. It was great. I got to walk all by myself on the balance beam, backwards!" She exclaimed happily. "And I did some plies and my teacher said I was doing great!"

"That sounds like fun Elizabeth. Was Daddy there with you the whole time?"

Elizabeth nodded her head. "Yeah, Daddy took pictures so we could show them to mommy. Mommy was busy at the office, that's why she couldn't come pick me up at school and take me to ballet. Mommy is usually the one that takes me to ballet but Daddy got to do it this time. Maybe next week Mommy'll do it again. She was happy when we got home with Daddy and told her how great it'd been." Elizabeth said seriously before letting out a yawn. With all this commotion and all these people at her home, she'd even forgotten she hadn't had breakfast yet. "Grandpa, can we have breakfast now? My belly is hungry!" Elizabeth chuckled at her own joke before getting off her chair and running in the direction of her grandpa.

Keith smiled as he grabbed her on his arms, and sat her on his lap. "We have to ask these nice people okay, Lizzy?" Elizabeth just nodded at him before looking expectantly at everybody else.

"Can we ask you one last question Elizabeth?" The prosecutor said as he turned the camera to point at Elizabeth again. The little girl just nodded her head. "Has your Daddy ever made you scared–"

"Excuse me," Veronica's boss interrupted shaking her head strongly at the prosecutor. That was kind of out of line and not in the list of questions they were to ask the child.

Elizabeth still didn't have any problems answering. "Scared how? Like when you watch a scary movie?"

The prosecutor looked at Chloe and then quickly back at Elizabeth. "Yeah, kind of like that Elizabeth. Has he ever been mean to you in any way or scream or grounded you really bad?"

Chloe made a noise again; he shouldn't have asked that.

Elizabeth in any case just looked at him as if he were crazy. "He's my Daddy…" She answered simply, as she shook her head. "Daddies don't do that. My Daddy takes care of me. And hugs me. And he is sweet. That's what Daddies do, sir…" She explained matter or factly before turning to Keith. She was _oh-so_ ready to eat now.

xxxx

It took Veronica and the team of lawyers that were helping Logan's case quite a few days to crack the investigation. After that morning and Elizabeth's testimony, the investigation only grew. More people was called in for interrogation, more "_evidence_" was shown, and still, for days the only real thing they had on Logan were the very same clothes of the reporter they had when this all began.

That had changed this very morning though. David had brought in to the table all the evidence the prosecution had —including of course, the reporters clothes. And then everything had changed when Veronica saw just that —the clothes. Throughout the last few days they had come to one conclusion, someone was trying to frame Logan for one reason or the other. His hair was in the deceased clothes, and whoever person called 911 and reported the crime said it had been Logan Echolls who did it.

That wasn't true, and as of right now, Veronica was almost sure they could prove it. "These are _his _clothes."

David looked at her as if she were crazy. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, these _are Logan's_ clothes. The ones the reporter was wearing for some reason are Logan's. We take turns doing laundry, which means I do his laundry every other week —I _know_ his clothes, so I'm telling you, these clothes are _his_…" Veronica said grabbing the bagged clothes in her hands and dumping them back down on the table. "He has had those pants for ages, and that shirt is his as well, look at the sleeve or the pocked, it is probably engraved and all…"

David was quiet then trying to process the info. "The airline lost Logan's baggage at JFK for a few moments…" David said aloud, making Veronica nod her head.

That point had been considered small, but now everything made sense. "Someone, whoever must have stolen it might have also attacked the reporter and blamed it on Logan. It makes sense. Who did it or why, I don't know yet, but it wasn't Logan…"

"These are good news Veronica. We can go to the judge now and ask for the case to be dismissed."

She knew this, and in all honesty, she could hardly contain her happiness at this great turn of events. Veronica nodded her head and took calming breaths before sitting on a chair and telling David to go. "Do your job, okay? Get him out of here."

It had been four days. Four whole days Logan had stayed behind bars for something he absolutely didn't do. It was in truth only fair he got the hell out of here as soon as possible.

xxxx

On the day Logan made it out of jail, he had thought they would do something special with Veronica and Elizabeth, and even Keith who was still in town helping out with Elizabeth —to Logan's surprise however, Veronica had had different plans than he did.

She stuck around until he was completely cleared of the alleged charges. She made sure the officers gave him everything he'd brought with himself before being arrested. Veronica was with him when he saw Elizabeth again and gave her the biggest, tightest hug in the world, but then, after making sure he was safe and sound at home, she just excused herself from Elizabeth's room. Logan hadn't thought much of that then —he thought Veronica was just giving him some space to have some alone time with Elizabeth.

But then, needless to say, Logan had been surprised when after playing with Elizabeth for a long time, and reading to her a few too many books, the two of them stepped out of her room only to find her mom sound asleep on the couch in the living room. She hadn't even made it to the bedroom; Veronica had been so exhausted the couch had done it just fine.

Logan chuckled as well as Elizabeth did it when they saw her, but still couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Veronica had in truth gone above and beyond to save his ass this time, and she hadn't gotten a lot in return —other than the many thank yous and kisses Logan gave her when they left the detention place, but still…

"How about we make dinner for your mama? Would you like that?"

Elizabeth didn't need Logan to speak twice. She jumped in excitement as soon as Logan spoke and she nodded her head happily. "Yeah! Can we bake some cookies too? Mama _loves_ cookies!" She stressed with a smile as Logan smiled at her, and matched her excitement with a laugh of his own.

"We sure can." He told her sweetly as the two of them walked to the kitchen and Elizabeth started parroting about everything she wanted to cook for her mommy.

And of course in the end the best the two of them came out with was some parmesan chicken and mashed potatoes but still, it had been something and Veronica —_when she finally woke up_— had been very appreciative off.

Right now she was looking at Logan from across the room as he held Elizabeth upside down until she told him she loved him, and quite honestly, Veronica couldn't help the relief she felt in her heart. One thing was thinking in all those times she'd saved Logan before, but now…now everything was different, even when they weren't married _he _was her family. She didn't know what in the world she'd do if something bad actually happened to him and she had to do this alone. Damn, just thinking about it was making her eyes teary. "Damn it," She muttered aloud looking away as she did to clean her eyes from the tears that pooled in them.

"You okay V?" Logan called after a moment when he noticed her cleaning her eyes. By now he had already put Elizabeth down and as he spoke Elizabeth wasn't slow either to run to her mom's side. She was all smiley and dovey lovey as she sat down by Veronica and wrapped her little arms around her mom.

Veronica looked down at her and smiled. Five years ago when she found out she was pregnant with that child, never, never, not in her most wild dreams, she imagined how much she would grow to love her. Elizabeth was perfect in every way —even considering the occasional tantrum or meltdown she still had from time to time.

"You okay mama?" Elizabeth asked after a moment parroting Logan's words.

Logan had sat down by them as well and for one reason or the other he was grinning from ear to ear as he looked at the girls. For some reason he knew he didn't need to worry about those tears in Veronica's eyes.

"I'm fine kiddo," Veronica replied at last, giving Elizabeth's head a kiss. "I don't know what got into me…" She said, this time a little more softly, and looking up at Logan's eyes.

"I do…" He replied all smugly even if Veronica hadn't asked him anything.

She quirked an eyebrow and smirked at him. "You do, huh?"

Logan nodded goofily. "You're emotional, and hormonal, and oh-so happy I am back home. Now aren't you? You are so happy I'm back, you are crying, love," Logan said only half playfully, yet it was enough to have Veronica smack his arm.

"You'd better wipe that smirk off your face, do you understand?" Even when everything Logan said was —_mostly_— right, that didn't mean for an instant he got to mock her. "There's no teasing allowed." Veronica warned playfully as Elizabeth and Logan simply laughed at her.

Veronica didn't really mind though. So what if they were laughing at her, honestly what mattered was having that goofy odd family of hers back together again…the rest…well…it'd fall into place eventually…

* * *

**AN : Thank you so much for reading!**


	9. Chapter Nine - Family

**Chapter Nine - Family**

* * *

Having graduated almost ten years ago, it felt really strange for Veronica to sit down through a hearing as a spectator and not one of the attorneys. This was still in a way, Logan's case; after almost three months of investigations, they had finally figured out why and who had framed him of murder a few months ago and for the last three days, they'd be a trial going on.

Logan was by all means cleared of all charges now, but Veronica still had an interest on the case —of course she did. After all, what happened to Logan had been very much _her_ fault and not his at all. Contrary to what Logan's lawyers thought at first, his framing on the paparazzo's murder hadn't been due something _he _had done, but instead, due something _Veronica_ had. They had been trying to hurt _her _through Logan, and had they been successful, well, hurt wouldn't have covert it.

Whether she liked it or not, she depended on Logan a whole lot now, they were a family, and if something ever happened to either of them…well…it just would be _bad_…

Absently Veronica then twisted the charm on the necklace she was wearing. She looked over at Logan beside her, and in a way, looking at him calmed her a little, _he_ looked calm —unlike her. Maybe Logan was just blissfully trusting the system, hence, believing this case was going to be closed with justice. The verdict was in, but still the defended and his lawyers were taking their sweet time to show up.

Once upon a time, one of her first cases actually, Veronica had been responsible of the imprisonment of Martin Haan's father. Martin Haan was of course the person whose conviction Veronica and Logan were now waiting to hear. He was the ringleader of a major drug gang in New York; the latest Veronica read on his file was that his gang was collecting millions of dollars per month selling illegal drugs, trafficking weapons, operating prostitution rings, selling stolen property, among other things. Martin and ten other members of the gang had been taken into custody about two months ago.

Martin Haan had of course also been the person to orchestrate everything that involved framing Logan in the paparazzo's death. Even after all those years, he had had that need to take revenge on Veronica —_whom he still blamed for his father dying in _prison—, but that revenge had had a cost, and that my friends, had been him getting sloppier and getting caught.

The part that to this day still spooked Veronica though, was the fact that those guys watched her for weeks on end and she had no idea. They learned almost everything about her family, where they lived, where they worked, Elizabeth's school, the places they often went to, their acquaintances, their complete schedules, everything just so that they could pin a murder on Logan. Thankfully enough, Veronica still hadn't lost her charm, and now it was _them _who were about to face years and years behind bars.

In that moment, Veronica let out a breath, and leaned down her head on Logan's shoulder. He turned to look at her sideways and smiled.

"How are you so calm?" Veronica asked him softly.

Logan in any case, just shrugged his shoulders. "This is the trial of not just any member of a drug gang, Veronica. We are talking about the_ringleader_ of said drug gang. The state showed a whole lot of evidence and even testimonies from the other members. This guy is toasted. He's not going to get away from this one; _that's _why I'm calm."

Logan had a point; she gave him that, but still… "You are right," She told him, but of course Logan knew she had more to say. "But even if he gets the 50years in jail the prosecution is after, someone else is going to take on the business for him, no?"

Logan looked strangely at her. "Well, of course, but…that's just life Veronica; you know that." He told her simply as Veronica lifted her head from his shoulder and their eyes met. "We just have to deal with it as it comes. For now, well, we owe it to ourselves to celebrate the fact that this person won't be able to hurt us anymore," Logan stated in all seriousness. "When push comes to shove you know I'm right here for you…no matter what, you know that, right?"

A small smile crept to Veronica's lips as he spoke —of course, she did. "Yeah," She admitted simply. "Ditto."

Logan nodded his head at that —he also knew that. Instead of saying anything then, Logan leaned over a little and kissed her lips. "I love you," He promised making Veronica smile against his lips.

She however, didn't have the chance to say the words back before the all too familiar "_All rise_" words were heard in the courtroom. Everybody that needed to be here was finally here, and so it was ShowTime at last.

Veronica felt Logan's hand covering her own when the foreman started reading the charges.

So far everything was going well, Martin Haan had already been declared guilty of six of the seven charges he was accused.

"And on the last count of murder on the first degree, we found the defended…guilty…"

Logan let out a breath before squeezing Veronica's hand once. He looked over for an instant then at the man who dared to mess with his family, and then just shook his head and closed his eyes. It was finally official now, this case was closed and they've won.

Logan was smiling when he shifted his eyes to Veronica. His smile dropped however, the moment he saw her properly; all the color had drained from her face and he could tell she was taking deep breaths slowly. "Are you okay?" Logan asked her worriedly.

Veronica closed her eyes for a moment before turning her head to him. She managed a nod of her head before swallowing hard. She knew the feeling, she knew what it was, but not for the life of her, she could understand just why it was happening now from all times. "I'm fine." She managed to muster after a moment. She was lying though and she knew Logan knew that as well. In all honesty, this bout of nausea had come out of nowhere; she hadn't felt this sick in days already.

Oh well…

"Yeah, right…" Logan whispered as he looked worriedly at Veronica. He lifted one of his hands to her forehead and smiled at her sadly. She was sweating cold. "What can I do for you?" He hated to feel so useless to help her some times.

Veronica shook her head at him before forcing a smile to her face. For now the nausea had passed. She turned her eyes back to Martin Haan and watched for a minute or two before he was ushered out of the courtroom and everybody else around her started getting up from their places as well.

She started feeling sick right then again. This time it was worse that before though. Shit. "Okay, I was wrong; maybe I'm not okay…" She breathed out, before suddenly getting up from the pew and stepping out of the courtroom as fast as she could. She was going to be sick. She was going to be sick _now_.

Logan called her name but Veronica could not stop for anything at that moment. She pushed herself through a bunch of people before bursting into the ladies' bathroom to quite literally, throw up all the remainders of her breakfast on a toilet —twice.

After she was finished and sure there was not going to be a third round, Veronica stood up still on the bathroom stall and took a moment to gather herself back. She breathed in deeply a few too many times before finally stepping out and washing her mouth and face. There were two other women there and for some reason Veronica felt watched upon and didn't like it. She tried to ignore it but one of the ladies spoke breaking the silence in the bathroom.

Veronica turned to look at her and was surprised by the smile the woman was wearing. She looked down at Veronica's belly before giving the petite blonde a knowing smile and look. "I had morning sickness all through my second trimester as well…You are not alone…" She told Veronica in hopes to make her feel a little less sorry for herself.

And surprisingly enough, hearing those words actually did make Veronica feel slightly better. At least she wasn't the only one still getting sick even though it was supposed to be finished weeks ago. In the end, Veronica gathered all her inner strength and smiled at this stranger who for one reason or the other had told her exactly what she needed to hear. "Thank you," She said honestly.

The other woman smiled and nodded her head. "I used to drink milk every time I felt nauseated. It helped."

Veronica nodded her head as she grabbed a paper towel and dried her face. "I'll give it a try," She said simply with a nod before trashing the towel and stepping out of the bathroom at last.

Logan was standing right there outside the bathroom's door waiting for her. He was wearing a worried look that made Veronica feel a little guilty. "I'm okay," She assured him as soon as Logan moved to her and reached out to hug her.

"Are you sure?" He asked her looking down into her eyes. At the very least, she did look better now; her cheeks were a bit rosy and all.

Veronica gave him one solid nod at the question. "Yup. Your little spawn just making me barf my guts out. Nothing little ole me can't handle," She tried joking, and while Logan didn't laugh, he did smile.

"You've been sick a lot more this time around, right?"

Veronica let out a loud breath at the obvious of his statement. "Tell me about it," She laughed letting herself smile as Logan wrapped his arm around her frame and together they started walking out of the courthouse at last.

That was true, once upon a time when she was pregnant with Elizabeth, she'd been sick a few handful of times, with this baby however, she'd been sick almost every day for the first three months or so, and then at least once a week since then. All in all, Veronica had just _felt _pregnant a whole lot more this time. She'd felt more tired this time, she'd shown far too early for her liking, she'd been sore all over, but oh well…in spite of all that, she still had Logan and _that _made the difference. He was a hands-on Dad and did just about everything for her and Elizabeth whenever either one needed something.

As she thought about it, Veronica realized she needed to do something soon to make it up to him for being so wonderful. It wasn't as if they didn't have reasons to celebrate after today's win in court after all.

"Love you," Veronica whispered sweetly then out of nowhere. She leaned in closer to Logan and chuckled when he hugged her tighter and kissed the tip of her nose.

"I love you too, knucklehead…" He promised back as they reached the car and he opened the door for Veronica. "Shall we pick up the kid and go eat something? Do you think you can keep it down?"

Veronica smirked at Logan —she had something else in mind. "How about we go home, relax for a bit, let Elizabeth finish her classes, and then go pick her up?"

Logan kept his eyes on Veronica for a small moment before he finally got there. "By relax you mean have sex, right?" He asked making her laugh wholeheartedly.

He closed her door shut and walked around the car getting in as well. Veronica was still laughing when his eyes landed on hers. "You did mean sex, right?" He asked her one more time as Veronica finally calm down a little, and met his eyes.

She didn't say anything for a moment, but instead bit on her lip strongly and playfully stared at him.

"Veronica," Logan was serious, he needed to know.

She chuckled before finally taking him out of his misery with a nod of her head.

They both laughed then as Logan turned on the engine and they finally drove away of the courthouse. It was good to finally close this chapter of their lives —the guy who tried to hurt them was now behind bars and would stay there for years to come. That was good. That was really great even. It was okay to celebrate.

xxxx

It was December now, and while Veronica was supposed to be spending time with that sweet boy of hers and their daughter during said daughter's Christmas Break, she'd been instead stuck at the office trying to crack this case with her coworkers. There was a man's life at stake, so it wasn't as if this was light matters of any sort, but still…it kind of did suck she was missing out on spending time with her family over the holidays.

In any case, Veronica had managed to make it home today before eight —that was a success. Any time before Elizabeth's bedtime was a great thing these days.

After letting herself in the house, Veronica took off her coat and hung it along with her purse. She rubbed her eyes right before feeling the little alien moving inside her belly. He was for sure a piece of something already. He moved so so much more than Elizabeth ever did. Everybody knew about him now too…which was a little weird for Veronica, especially during this case where a bunch of the other lawyers didn't know her that well. The heck with them though, even pregnant she was damn good, and they were learning it the hard way.

In any case, right then as Veronica thought she'd be serving herself some water, she heard Elizabeth all but squeaking at Logan. "Not Daddy! Not like that! You are doing it all wrong!" She whined loudly.

Veronica put down her empty glass and instead walked to the playroom. "Hi," She tried to say as happily as she could, but the moment Elizabeth turned to her, there were tears in her eyes.

"Mom!" She cried as she ran to Veronica and clutched to her legs.

Veronica held her little back and stroked her hair, but still shot Logan a strange look.

He didn't say anything but just rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. Apparently, he wasn't that good of a tea party companion. And of course they both knew Elizabeth was just missing Veronica, hence acting out a bit, but still…

It hadn't helped matters that a few days ago they'd learned the baby inside Veronica was a baby _boy_ and not a baby _girl_ as Elizabeth had convinced herself it was. She hadn't been too happy —to say the least.

"Are you okay sweetie?"

Elizabeth was pouting when she looked up at Veronica. "Why it took you too long to come home?" She said, actually sounding accusing as she pushed back from Veronica and looked up at her wary.

"They needed me at work honey…" Veronica explained but still Elizabeth didn't like the answer.

Instead, she moved from Veronica and walked back to her toys. Great, now she was giving Veronica the silent treatment. How nice…

In any case, after sharing an uneasy look with Logan, Veronica went to sit by him as they both looked at that daughter of theirs that so much resembled them at times. Elizabeth was all passion like her father; that was for sure. She was also tough on them sometimes, especially when she felt they'd let her down —that was all Veronica…

"Spoiled and all, but I still like her…" Logan smirked then as he helped Veronica sit with him on the floor. They kissed softly hello, but still Veronica shook her head at him.

"Has she been like this all day?"

Thankfully Logan shook his head. "Nah. She's been good, she just…" He didn't even have to finish that sentence. Veronica didn't need him to repeat the words she already knew —Elizabeth was just missing her…

"Elizabeth, come here honey…" Veronica called sweetly after a moment and after another small kiss from Logan.

Elizabeth turned to them but she was still frowning. "Are you going to like the baby in your belly more than me?" She asked blatantly then, taking both Veronica and Logan aback. There was no messing around with this child.

Both of them shook their heads immediately anyway. "No, of course not…" Logan replied quickly.

Elizabeth turned her eyes to Veronica now, waiting for her answer. "Absolutely not…" Veronica replied seriously, stretching out her arms so Elizabeth would come.

She wasn't ready yet though. "But I don't see you anymore," Elizabeth said with a shake in her voice that wasn't all that familiar, yet broke Veronica's and Logan's heart like nothing else could. "And he is with you _all_ day —_every _day!" She cried as she pointed with her finger in the direction of Veronica's belly.

Veronica bit on her lip as she struggled to keep tears of her own at bay. "Come here sweetie," She asked again as she did to reach for Elizabeth.

Elizabeth did listen this time, and like she always did, she then threw her legs over Veronica's hips and made herself comfortable on her lap. And while that was quite a bit uncomfortable for Veronica and new baby right now, she still knew she'd happily endure it, if only that meant she had her baby girl close.

Veronica then simply hugged Elizabeth tight to her body, and kissed her strongly on the cheek. "I love you so so much; you have no idea Elizabeth…" Veronica promised softly into her ear. "You are my baby girl, and you and your Daddy are the two people in the world I love most," She explained, sharing with Logan a look and a smile then. "I could never stop loving you Elizabeth. That's crazy. You'll always have me, and I know this is hard on you, and I know it's going to be a big adjustment to have a new little person in our family but…y'know, babies are lots of fun, we'll learn to love him, and we'll teach him all the cool things, okay? He'll think you are the coolest sister in the world,"

Logan couldn't help the little chuckle that escaped him; both girls turned to him and while he ducked his head, he didn't stop smiling. "You want to know a secret?"

Elizabeth nodded her head cautiously.

"When I was a little boy," Logan said as he moved closer to his girls. "I used to think my big sister was a super hero," His words made Elizabeth smile, and just for that, Logan thought he deserved an imaginary pat on the back.

"Why?" Elizabeth giggled, and Veronica thanked Logan with her eyes for that.

"Because she told me she was one," Logan explained, feeling a little weird about actually remembering that. Surprisingly enough there had been some moments between fights when his sister wasn't that bad growing up.

"You think the baby will think I'm a super hero, too?" Elizabeth asked mischievously then, turning slightly so that she could see Veronica's belly.

For a moment then, all three of them stared at her belly, until Veronica shrugged her shoulders and smiled in Elizabeth's direction. "Most likely yes. He'll love you so much, just like Daddy and I do…"

"You promise?" Elizabeth looked seriously at Veronica, but the moment her mom nodded once, she nodded as well. "Okay…"

"Okay?"

"Yes Daddy. Okay." She replied simply with her sparkly blue eyes shining again. "I won't try to sell him on the internet—"

Wait, what? "—Elizabeth Ann Echolls!" Even as both Logan and Veronica heard Elizabeth loud and clear, they still couldn't believe she had just said _that_.

Elizabeth in any case, just snuggled closer to Veronica then and looked up at her as if Daddy was just making a big deal. "I said I wouldn't," She reminded them, and if Veronica didn't know better, she'd swear that was a smirk on her daughter's face.

"You are definitely your father's daughter, Elle…" Veronica joked with a laugh of her own, before looking up at Logan as he scoffed. "We love you more than anything anyway cheeseball," Veronica promised as Elizabeth burst into a fit of giggles, and so did her parents.

At least she did say she wasn't going to do it anymore. That was something at least…

xxxx

It was 3:07 am when Logan stirred awake in bed, only to find an empty space beside him. Maybe some men worry when they wake up in the middle of the night to an empty bed and their significant other missing, but not Logan. This actually happened every once in a while, not that often that it concerned him, but often enough that he didn't panic anymore every time Veronica woke up in the middle of the night and started wandering around their place.

It usually happened every time she was somewhat stressed about something; lately it was work stuff, a case that kept her from sleeping soundly.

He was still a little groggy when he stepped out of the bedroom and started looking for Veronica. He wanted to call her name when he didn't find her in the living room —_that was by now her usual middle-of-the-night go-to place_—, but still Logan knew better than to be loud this late at night —the least he wanted was wake up Elizabeth after all.

In the end, Logan settled visiting each room of their loft; she wasn't in the kitchen, she wasn't in the studio, she wasn't in the playroom, she wasn't in the bathroom. Logan frowned to himself before he slowly walked into the last empty room in the house. He was taking a chance; Veronica could be in this room, or in Elizabeth's room. He guessed the option where their daughter was still soundly asleep was the better option.

And sure enough, as Logan opened the nursery's door all the way, there was Veronica at last. She was sitting on the carpet with her laptop on in front of her, some files and a few big books around her as well.

"I woke up and you were gone…" Logan said quietly into the dark room —that surprised him a little actually; Veronica had only the tall lamp by the corner of the room on.

Veronica looked up at him and half smiled at him still sitting on the floor. "Hi…" She told him softly.

Logan's features softened at her voice, and he offered her a smile as he took a quick look around the room. The nursery wasn't ready per se, but the crib was there and so were the changing table and the rocking chair. They still needed to paint it and buy all the baby-boy related things for the newest addition.

"Your brain is like a hamster-wheel, you know?"

Veronica smiled sincerely at his words and nodded. "Word," She agreed playfully as Logan moved to sit by her. He softly pressed his lips to her forehead before setting down.

He let out a sigh as his eyes shifted in the direction of Veronica's laptop. "Working on the case?"

Veronica raised an eyebrow at him. "Surprisingly enough, nope…"

Logan couldn't help when his eyes went wide at that. "What?"

"I'm going to try not to be offended by _that,_" There was a smirk on her face as she said that, so at least Logan knew he wasn't in trouble for that reaction. It was indeed very much surprisingly though; she was up and it wasn't because of work?

"Okay then, do tell…what has you up at 3 in the morning obsessing in our yet-to-be born baby boy's nursery?" Logan asked playfully as he moved his hand to rest on Veronica's belly.

She shrugged her shoulders at him. "Well…him actually,"

Logan was slightly confused at her answer. "What do you mean?"

Veronica fiddled with her fingers before sighing, and turning her laptop's screen in Logan's direction. "I'm looking at dead people's birth certificates."

"Wait, what?" Okay, if Logan was confused before, right about now he was clueless as hell. What did that have to do with the baby at all? "I'm not following you," He admitted, and then, surprising him even more, Veronica let out a small chuckle.

"I know you are not," She told him rolling her eyes, but still smiling as she pulled the laptop onto her lap and moved even closer to Logan so she could show him exactly what she was doing. "I still have not decided on a name for the baby, so—"

"So you thought you'd find the perfect one if you looked into dead people's birth certificates?"

He was being ironic, she knew that, but still…he was right. "Well, yeah…"

"Veronica," Logan tried her name alone because he really was at a loss here.

She hung her head taking a moment to organize her thoughts on this. "I'm having a really hard time with his name," Veronica admitted honestly, as she watched Logan's eyes focusing on the screen before him. "And it's not that I don't have names that I like but—"

"It's my last name…" Logan finished her sentence thoughtfully. As he looked closer to the screen, he realized Veronica wasn't just looking at random people's birth certificates, but at people through history who had carried the Echolls name.

"Yeah," Veronica replied simply. "I can't think for the life of me of a boy name that I like that also goes well with your last name, so I thought I'd look at old birth certificates of boys who'd carried your name as well…" Right now Veronica was honestly hoping Logan wouldn't take it personally —she'd tried, she really had, but none of the names she liked sounded good enough with his name. "Are you mad at me?" Her voice was rather soft as she said that.

Logan in any case didn't miss a beat to shake his head. "No, of course not…" He told her honestly. "I haven't even given any thought to his name to be honest," He said thoughtfully, mostly to himself as his eyes kept reading all the different names on the screen before him. "Did you do this before Elizabeth was born too?"

"Nope," Veronica replied goofily making the '_pop'_ sound with her lips. "Elizabeth's name came from the old-fashion baby names book." She smiled as Logan finally tore his eyes from the screen and met hers.

"I don't think I ever asked you why you chose _Elizabeth _for Elizabeth? I remember liking the name and agreeing on it, but we never went through the _why_, did we? Was there a reason behind it?" Veronica let out a breath at his question; clearly there was a reason there.

"You realize we are five years too late to this conversation?" Logan let out a chuckle, but then also nodded his head at Veronica's words. She smiled at him. "When I was pregnant with her I was really obsessed into finding an 'L' name for her, you know?"

"After Lilly?" Logan asked then as he put two and two together.

Veronica nodded her head. "Yeah, after Lilly, and you, and your mom…" She told him sincerely but still couldn't meet his eyes —they were both aware right then Veronica had avoided mentioning her own mom in that list, but even then, Logan wasn't going to push on that. He might not understand completely why Veronica still couldn't forgive her mom, but he respected it nonetheless.

"So then what happened? Why did we end up with a very perky Elizabeth instead of a…hmm…a _Lizeth_?" He smirked at Veronica trying hard to lit up the mood again.

And seemingly it worked, since Veronica did smile at his question and even leaned in to kiss his lips. "I love you," She whispered ever so quietly as she pulled back from him only to see the boyish grin he was wearing now. She shook her head slightly, but still kept the smile on her face. "We ended up with Elizabeth because while I was going down the list of all the girl L names, I came across Lilly's,"

"And?"

"And so it said there Lilly came from the name Elizabeth…so…" Veronica trailed off looking down at her fidgeting fingers as she shrugged her shoulders.

"And so Elizabeth became Elizabeth…" Logan finished the statement triumphantly.

Veronica turned her eyes to him as he spoke and in all honesty, she couldn't help the smile on her face. Logan's smile was so contagious —she loved it, she honestly did. "Yup…"

"For the record I do love her name. She's definitely an Elizabeth…"

"She is, isn't she?" Veronica agreed with Logan sweetly, as she put the computer back down on the floor, and instead of obsessing over the new baby's name anymore, she leaned in closer to Logan, and rested her head on his chest.

They stayed in that position in silence for at least a couple of minutes until Logan saw her idly running her forefinger over her round stomach. "Elizabeth's tantrum from earlier got to you, didn't it?"

Veronica stopped her movements suddenly at his words. "No" She answered seriously out of instinct. Logan didn't speak, so she chinned up to look at his face. She rolled her eyes at Logan's eyes so pointedly staring into hers. "Maybe a little." She admitted painfully with a sigh. She looked at Logan again but he still wasn't talking. Veronica rolled her eyes yet again as she pulled away from him and sat up properly. "Okay, fine, it got to me a lot…are you happy now?" She asked him annoyed, crossing her arms over her chest.

She looked down and let out a breath as Logan softly started stroking the small of her back. "Most people think I'm greedy, you know?"

"What do you mean?"

"I want the cake and I also want to eat it," Despite her explanation Logan still looked confused. "I want to be a great lawyer, make partner one day soon, but I also want to be a good mom—"

"You don't have to choose between being a mom and work, you know that?"

"Yeah, and that's exactly my point. I want to have it all, and…God, some days I really think I do; I have you, and Elizabeth is such a good kiddo, but then…then there are days like today when I doubt the whole thing," Veronica admitted seriously. She took a moment to process herself her own words before speaking again. "I don't ever want Elizabeth to think I don't love her," Veronica added ever so quietly after a moment; that question from her little girl earlier had really broken her heart a bit…

Logan's lips formed a thin line as he pulled Veronica to him and kissed the crown of her head. "You _are _a great mom," He promised her strongly because he really needed her to believe it. "And Elizabeth knows you love her —you tell her as much all the time, she was just being especially difficult today, but she'll come around with this new baby thing, I promise…"

"How you know?"

Logan shrugged his shoulders at her question. "I just do." He replied simply. "You are amazing. One way or the other you manage to be pretty kickass and fantastic at your work, all the while being pretty kickass here at home as well. Even if eventually you and I are bound to miss a ballet recital or actually get a nanny for them, or…whatever, I think we are still pretty damn decent at this parenting thing. How long did her tantrum last?"

Veronica was pouting as she thought through his words; damn he was right. "Ten minutes —less than that…"

Logan nodded. "That's right. Was she mad at you afterwards?" Veronica simply shook her head. "Well, then I'd say if this is the worse we get any given day we are doing pretty damn well…"

Veronica heaved a deep sigh before allowing herself to nod her head. "You are right,"

"Damn right I am,"

"Okay, you can so wipe off that smirk off your face right now," She told him playfully, shaking her head ever so slightly. Again there was a sigh, but this time it was for a different reason. "We still need to decide on a name…"

Logan nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah," He agreed simply, before pulling her into his arms again. "Did you see any you liked?"

"I don't know," Veronica replied uneasily shaking her head. "I guess we could always play safe and name him William, or Michael…Jack maybe too? I like Jack for a boy,"

"But?" Logan asked quietly knowing there was a bit more she wasn't letting on.

"But with Elizabeth's name I was _so_ sure about it, she's an Elizabeth," Veronica said seriously. "But with this one," She said as she brought her hand up to rest on her belly. "I do not know…"

"We still have time to decide…" Logan offered softly then.

Veronica nodded her head against his chest as she let her eyes fall close —suddenly she was feeling super sleepy again.

"Did you know back in the 1800's most of the Echolls were in the South?"

Veronica's voice was tick with sleep, but she still wanted him to know what she'd learned.

"Yeah?" Logan replied back with a small chuckle.

She nodded her head once. "Yeah. Lots of your guys' were down in Georgia and the Carolinas…barely any in California…"

"Well, good to know V…" He told her simply, before kissing the top of her head —God, he loved that woman. "Wanna go to bed, now?"

Veronica could barely nod her head as she felt Logan getting up from the floor already. He held her hand and helped her to feet. Veronica yawned as Logan pulled her to him again and they walked slowly out of the nursery.

Just as they were walking to their room however, both of them managed to notice the light on in Elizabeth's room. Veronica looked up at Logan making a face. "Hey, don't look at me, she doesn't get her freaky early morning habits from me," Logan defended himself playfully as both walked in the direction of the child's room.

Veronica was a lot more awake now as slowly Logan opened the door.

Elizabeth was sitting on her bed with each and every of her stuffed animals surrounding her. Her eyes went oh-so wide when she saw her parents walking in.

"What are you doing awake honey?" Veronica asked her softly as she walked the rest of the way to Elizabeth's bed.

Elizabeth looked scared somewhat as she looked around her room before she just lunged forward and wrapped her little arms around Veronica. "I heard noises," She whispered into Veronica's chest. "I thought the monster was coming to get me," She added looking up uneasily at Veronica.

Logan smiled slightly from his spot before he moved to the bed as well. "Why would you think that, huh?"

Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. "Cause I was mean to you earlier?" She asked in a quiet voice.

Both Veronica and Logan shook their heads immediately at her. "No one's going to get you. Besides, you apologized to Daddy, didn't you?"

"Oh yeah…" Elizabeth replied as little by little she started to relax. "So no one's getting me?"

"Nope," Veronica and Logan replied in unison.

"Oh okay…" Elizabeth breathed out as she snuggled closer to Veronica and finally let herself smile —everything was okay now.

"Mommy's really sleepy, so how about we all sleep together in our room to make sure you don't get scared again?"

"Can I, really?"

"Yeah," Veronica replied simply with a nod. "Come on. It's too early in the morning to be awake little miss," She smiled at Elizabeth before turning to Logan and shrugging her shoulders —so she was a softy when it came to Elizabeth, so what?

Logan then simply matched her smile as he reached out and grabbed that daughter of theirs in his arms. "Let's go baby girl…"

"I'm really sorry I yelled at you Daddy," Elizabeth whispered into Logan's ear one more time just in case her first apology hadn't been enough.

Logan smiled at her words before kissing the side of her head. "It's all right sweetie. I promise next time I'll use _all _of my manners at our tea party," He promised as they walked into the master bedroom slowly.

Veronica was quick to get back into the covers, and so was Elizabeth crawling her way to her mom. Logan didn't get into bed right away but instead went to the bathroom first. When he came back however, he was oh-so very glad to see Veronica hugging Elizabeth sweetly, as the two of them had already closed their eyes again at last.

The heck with what people said, so what if they wanted the cake and wanted to eat it too? What was the point of having the cake in the first place if it wasn't to eat it? This life wasn't easy every day, it certainly wasn't perfect, but it was life, and it was the best Logan had ever had…

He could only imagine how much more awesome it would get in a few months' time when the new baby came. Sure it'd be an adjustment, but one Logan was sure the three of them would love to adjust themselves to. He believed in his family, because for what it was worth, _this _was a family. Ups and downs but still a family who stuck together through everything. A _real _family…

xxxx

The day before Baby Luke was born Veronica got to spend pretty much the whole day with Elizabeth. The little girl wasn't feeling all that well so Veronica had just kept her with her for the day. She hadn't been feeling so great herself either, so it had all worked out. They stayed in their pajamas until lunchtime, they read a lot, Veronica helped Elizabeth fix one of her dollhouses, they ate ice cream together watching a Disney movie, and by the time Logan made it home at 530, both girls were in the bedroom. Elizabeth was sleeping with her tiny head resting on Veronica's lap, and her arm wrapped over her mom's legs.

It had honestly been the sweetest picture to come home to, and Logan couldn't deny it. He smiled from the doorway as Veronica finally noticed him. She'd been feeling sleepy too, but unlike Elizabeth, she hadn't been able to fall sleep.

"Staying home with Elizabeth is _so_ hard, you have no idea…" Veronica told Logan mockingly after a moment when he just stayed quiet staring at her and the child.

"I can see that…" Logan answered at last, as he walked inside the room all the way and sat down by Veronica.

She sat up slightly so that Logan could sit behind her and she could rest her frame on him. She looked up at him and made a face. "How was your day?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "It was all right…but…seriously, after coming home to _this," _He stressed looking sweetly at Elizabeth sleeping. "I really wish I'd stayed home as well." He admitted making Veronica nod her head. "Even Bear has managed to make himself all comfortable and all…" Logan whined pointing at Bear sleeping soundly at the other end of the bed.

And at that last bit of his statement, Veronica couldn't help but smile at him. In all honesty, it wouldn't have been so bad if Logan had stayed as well. The way Veronica was seeing it right now, today might as well be their very last day as a family of three —four if they counted Bear, but oh well…

For some reason then however, Elizabeth stirred a little, but still didn't wake up. She shifted her head up and she bumped it with Veronica's baby bump. That made them both Logan and Veronica chuckle a little. "Elizabeth's been really lovey dovey with the baby today for some reason; it is as if she knew…"

Logan narrowed his eyes at Veronica. He was smiling slightly as well, though. "As if she knew what?"

"That this baby's coming soon…" Veronica told him then as if it wasn't a big deal. She cracked the biggest grin ever when she looked up at Logan and saw the way his eyes went wide almost like dinner plates.

"Are you serious?" Logan asked after a moment, when he finally found his words.

Veronica twisted her lips slightly before replying. "I think so…" She replied simply. "I've been definitely feeling something since last night…" She elaborated then.

Logan's eyes again grew wide. "You do realize you are supposed to tell me that kind of things, right?" He wasn't trying to make her feel bad, but still…it would be nice to be informed of these kind of things from time to time. This was Veronica freaking Mars he was talking to, though. He knew her, but still…

"I'm telling you now," Veronica said wittily then with a smirk on her face. Logan rolled her eyes playfully and she chuckled. "You remember before Elizabeth was born?"

"Oh yeah I do," Logan replied with no hesitation. They've gone to the hospital at least three times before it was the '_real deal'_ and Elizabeth was actually born.

"Well, I didn't want that this time, and I think I do know a little better this time. The contractions come and go so it's not as I've been in labor since last night, but like two or three hours ago they started to get regular…"

Logan let out a breath as he heard all that information. It took him less than a minute to smile brightly and nod his head then though. "So you think it's the real thing?" Veronica just nodded. "Good." He let out with a small laugh. "We are getting a baby…" He chanted before kissing Veronica's head. Their eyes locked and both smiled; this was it, this was how growing up looked and felt like, and…honestly, it wasn't as scary or terrible as they both once thought it was.

They certainly weren't perfect parents or partners to one another, but they worked on their problems every day, and at the very least, they knew that was something their own parents didn't do. They used to pretend everything was okay when it wasn't, and if anything, that was something Veronica and Logan didn't do —and if that meant there was banter and arguments sometimes, then so be it…it wasn't as if making up was the worst possible thing in the world…it was the opposite actually.

xxxx

New baby in the house had certainly been overwhelming, but not in a particularly bad way though. Things were crazy and the apartment was a mess and then some, but…at the end of the day, when Veronica walked into the baby's nursery and found him there sleeping oh-so soundly on his father's arms, she knew the chaos and the mess and the damn hormones driving her crazy were well worth it.

_Lucas Jack Echolls _had been born on May 21st, at 2:11 in the morning. The boy was an early bird —or a late partier; it really depended on the way you looked at it. He was bornweighing 9pounds 3ounces, the exact same size as his big sister at birth. He lost a bit of that weight since the day he was born four days ago, but by the way the boy ate, Veronica was sure he'd gain those lost ounces back in no time.

Veronica could still remember the moments right after he was born —it had been _special_, just as when Elizabeth was born, but it had been very much different at the same time. Veronica remembered looking up from her brand new baby to see a teary-eyed Logan; half-crying, half-laughing saying time and again that he had a son. _A son. _They hadn't talked about it yet, but Veronica had known it right then —Logan was going to be the very best father her baby son could get.

Logan had also been better this time during the birth —not that he'd been bad when Elizabeth was born, but this time around, he'd been more…collected, and calm. It was as though he already knew things were going to be just fine and so his job was simply to make Veronica see that as well. He'd been great actually…

_The home stretch._

_'This is the home stretch honey.' Veronica felt like gagging in her mouth at the thought alone of those words again. One of the nurses had told her just that about three contractions ago, and yet Veronica's blood was still boiling with anger from those words. Who did that nurse think she was, huh? She wasn't the one laying on a bed in excruciating pain from the freaking epidural wearing off, now was she? _

_Veronica didn't remember this hurting so much —of course with Elizabeth she had been completely numbed from the waist down, and to be fair, this time she was supposed to be just as numbed as well, but for some reason the epidural hadn't worked this time, and so for the last few contractions she'd felt a lot…a lot…_

_Right that moment she started feeling the pain building up again and she scrunched up her face gripping as hard as she could the bedspread she was laying on, and Logan's hand as well. She felt bad for him, poor guy, they'd been here for over five hours and he'd been nothing but supportive every time she'd freaked out._

_Then again, she was the one in constant pain, so maybe it wasn't so bad._

_"Logan…" Veronica breathed out as the contraction passed and she was able to relax. She turned her head to him, and for some odd reason she felt her eyes water at the sight of the smile he was wearing. _

_"I'm proud of you, buddy…" Logan whispered sweetly, making it even harder for Veronica to keep her tears at bay._

_She took in a deep breath before nodding and trying as hard as she could to match the smile on his face. "I'm going to survive this, right?"_

_Logan let out a small chuckle before strongly nodding his head. Around them a bunch of nurses were running around –including the one that had made Veronica mad— and even the Doctor was back already. She had announced a few minutes ago that it was finally time to get the baby out, and so everybody was busying themselves getting everything ready._

_Veronica on the other hand, well, she was panicking a little —Logan could tell as much. Labor hadn't been as she'd planned it and that had for sure threw her off her game. That, and of course the fact that those effing contractions hurt like hell…but still…_

_Of course she could do this. She was Veronica freaking Mars._

_"You can do this." Logan replied at last with all the seriousness in the world —he meant this. "I think right now I could tell you every clichéd line we'd seen in movies and television, and they could all apply to this moment. You _are _in fact the most amazing, and strong woman I know." He smiled sincerely at her as Veronica finally let herself smile as well. "And I love you. And I believe in you, okay? You can do this…" _

_At that, Veronica found herself nodding slightly, as Logan reached out and stroked some hair from her face before leaning over and kissing her forehead. "Kay…" _

_"Okay good…" Logan beamed with satisfaction. Of course soon after those words were spoken, Veronica was gripped by another contraction, and this time the Doctor had even told her to push, but even then, Logan knew he wouldn't trade this moment, or his life actually, for anything in the world._

_Growing up the way he did he never thought of himself as the kind of man who would settle down and have a family —a happy one at that. Never did it cross his mind. Not until he fell for Veronica and it was clear life would never be the same…_

_She was a game-changer. She'd given him everything he never thought he needed. Kids? Heck, his seventeen-year-old self would probably laugh his guts out if Logan could tell him he'd have them, but more than that, would love them more than anything in the world._

_"You know what?" Veronica's words broke Logan from his thoughts._

_He was already looking at her, but adjusted his eyes into hers as she spoke. "What?" _

_Veronica was panting from exhaustion, but she still needed to say this. "If we ever, and I'm not saying we will, but…if we ever do this again, you have to swear to me I'll be high as an effing kite before even getting to the hospital just in case the fucking epidural decides not to work again!"_

_Logan wanted to laugh or at the very least smile at her, but he couldn't —he instead just nodded his head and kissed her. "I swear to God you'll be as high as a bird on Ketamine and LSD. I promise."_

_Veronica nodded at him and even managed to smile at him, but seconds later, she was in pain again, and so she pushed again. She had no idea where to pull more strength from anymore, but then the Doctor announced the head of the baby was almost out, and so Veronica had no more option but to gather her non-existent balls and push as if there was no tomorrow._

_Before they knew it the baby was out and crying like a champ. Veronica felt relief immediately and then also Logan's lips pressing against hers. She kissed him back but then also opened her eyes properly after the kiss and reached out for that brand new little baby of hers as it was being passed to her by the terrible-awful nurse that had pissed her off before. Veronica in any case just about loved her right now for being the one to pass her her baby._

_As Veronica cradled the crying baby in her arms, he quieted down, and blinked those big gray eyes of his at her. She couldn't help when a watery chuckle escaped her lips. God, she was so glad the hard part was finished —finally. "I can't believe I made you…" She said in a shaky whisper looking down at the little one in her arms. Veronica leaned down and kissed him softly on the head before she turned to look at Logan. He was wearing one of the happiest smiles she'd ever seen on the boy, and that made her happy. "What do you think?" Veronica asked ignoring for those few seconds the world outside the three of them._

_Logan smiled –if possible– even wider as he tentatively moved a finger to stroke ever so slightly the baby's head. "I have a son." He muttered softly making Veronica smile at him even more._

_She nodded her head at him as Logan moved closer to them and took an even closer look on the little baby. "We have a son. A son." He chuckled then as though he still couldn't believe his own eyes. "You did it." He stated sweetly then as he leaned in again and kissed Veronica one more time._

_She chuckled against his lips before one more time they kissed. _

_"I love you,"_

_Veronica let out a sigh at his words. Her eyes shifted back and forth between Logan's eyes and the baby in her arms for a moment, before she let herself smile brightly. "Yeah…you too…"_

_In that moment, with Veronica and his brand new baby son, Logan vowed to himself to protect that baby and be there for him forever…_

_He'd done the same thing with Elizabeth, and he planned on keeping that promise for years to come. Truth was, Logan was more than determined to break his family's history. He had from the moment Veronica fell pregnant with Elizabeth, but having a son now meant he'll get to actually show everybody —mostly himself though— that he was anything like his father, or like his father's father was. He would never hurt that little boy or Elizabeth for that matter either. Not in a million years. He'd look after them forever, and that was a promise he'd made to himself and Veronica well before Elizabeth was even born._

_What meant more to Logan though was the fact that Veronica believed in him —she'd done it when Elizabeth was born, and she did it now. She believed Logan was the best thing that could happen to her children's lives, and that meant more to Logan that he could ever make her understand completely._

_Trust wasn't something that came easy for Veronica —it didn't in the past, and it didn't now, but…Logan, she trusted **him** —and loved him and their family more than she ever thought possible to love someone. And seriously, wasn't that just the whole point? Having people to love and who love you back more than anything else in the world?_

_"What's his name…?" Logan asked softly after a small moment of simply staring at Veronica and their new baby._

_She took a moment to reply, looking down at the baby in her arms herself. After a moment, Veronica turned to Logan and smiled. "Lucas," She told him simply before leaning down and kissing the baby's head softly. Veronica let out a small breath as she started pulling away from her baby slightly. She looked at Logan and motioned him with her head towards the baby —as much as Veronica felt as though she could hold that baby forever, she really wanted Logan to do it as well. _

_Logan suddenly grew nervous —just as he had before holding Elizabeth for the first time, but still the huge grin on his face as Veronica slowly handed him the baby couldn't compare. "Hi…" Logan cooed to the baby as he gently rocked him in his arms. He felt teary eyed all of a sudden again, but given the circumstances, he knew it was understandable at the very least._

_Logan lifted his eyes from the baby after several seconds only to be met with those sparkly blue eyes of Veronica staring powerfully into his. "Lucas Jack Echolls…" Logan whispered ever so softly into the air after a few seconds. "What do you think?" He asked Veronica when she just kept her stare on him but didn't speak._

_Veronica in any case took yet another moment before she began nodding her head. "I love it," She told him sincerely. "Lucas Jack Echolls it is…"_

xxxx

Without waking up Logan, Veronica stepped out of the baby's nursery and closed the door behind her. If baby and baby Daddy wanted to sleep, then that was completely fine with her. She then instead went to the laundry room where her Dad was folding clothes. "Can you please stop doing that," Veronica cried dramatically as she took a teeny sock off his hands. Keith just turned to look at her raising his eyebrows. "You don't have to do it, Dad…" She told him then, now a little more softly.

Keith smiled at her but still shook his head. "I want to help, sue me." He told her back matter of factly before taking the small sock back from her.

"You've helped a lot, you know?" Veronica whispered after a moment, hoping with all her heart Keith actually understood how much he'd helped. Veronica in truth had no idea what they had done if he hadn't been here to help out so much with new baby but seriously, mostly with Elizabeth. The last thing Veronica wanted was her now oldest baby to feel abandoned or whatever with the new baby now being here, so it was just wonderful Elizabeth got to have grandpa all for herself while they all adjusted to the new little person in their lives.

"Elizabeth's going to go bananas when you go back home…" Truth was, _she _was going to go bananas when her dad returned to California, but since she wasn't one to admit just that yet, Keith knowing Elizabeth would miss him more than chocolate chip cookies would have to do.

Keith looked at Veronica with a soft smile on his face before nodding. "I'll miss that child as well. And Baby Luke is not that bad himself, you know?"

Veronica chuckled. "He's not." She agreed as Keith moved from in front of the dryer for a moment, and instead went and got a small seat for that child of his.

"There, sit…" He ordered all too casually before going back to the laundry basket he was working on.

Veronica felt like rolling her eyes at the over protectiveness Keith still had over her, but she still appreciated.

"How are you feeling?" Keith asked her then, after Veronica had very obediently, sat down as she was told.

She shrugged her shoulders at him though. "Eh, I'm in pain, but…you don't want to know that, so we can pretend you don't…" She said smirking, and now it was Keith who rolled his eyes.

Yes, yes, his daughter was a mother now, that of course meant she must have given birth —with everything that involved —including having sex. Twice now even— but then again, even when he knew it was silly, talking about it was still a bit awkward —he couldn't help that, and Veronica understood it.

Keith grew thoughtful only a few seconds after Veronica spoke, and she really wasn't that sure what was in his mind that made him stop smiling after her comment.

"What is it?" She asked, not missing a beat.

Keith shook his head.

"Come on, you know I'm not going to give up until you tell me, so you'd better just speak." Veronica told him smugly. "Besides, I just had a wonderful baby boy who happens to be your very first grandson, so you ought to be nice with me," She added, and her words actually made Keith smile a little.

"Your comment made me think about your mom…"

Yeah, Veronica figured but she was hoping it wasn't that. "I'm completely okay without her. I don't need her, if that's what you are worrying about…" Veronica told Keith then strongly, yet she couldn't meet his eyes.

Keith let out a sigh at those words however.

"Look Dad, I don't _need _to talk to you about how painful it was to push out a little person, in fact, I wish I didn't have to talk about that with anybody _ever again_." She confessed completely serious. "I don't need you to understand or even try to imagine what that was like; I only need you to _be_ here, and to love those kids, and me, and well…love Logan as well…" Veronica added that then just for good measure. She was smiling innocently when Keith finally turned to look at her again. "I'm serious though. I'm _so_ grateful for you; you have no idea Daddy…I don't need anyone else…"

Keith stared at Veronica for a few moments before he nodded. "Would you believe me if I say Luke looks more like you did as a newborn than Elizabeth did when she was born?"

Veronica tried not to smile at that, but it was futile. "You are telling me I looked like a boy when I was born? Thank you Dad, I love you, too."

They both laughed at her comment, but Keith still rolled his eyes. "I was just saying," He said back while Veronica chuckled. "That's a whole lot of hair that baby has though…I don't remember you having that much…ever…"

Wasn't that the truth? Man, after Baby Luke was out Veronica _finally_ understood why she'd felt all that heartburn with this baby. His head was full, seriously, _full_ with blonde hair. Elizabeth had had some strands of hair, as did Veronica when she was born, and even Logan, but Lucas…Oh my…

"You turned out to be a very good mom yourself, you know? Logan's pretty decent too." Keith admitted then after a few moments. "Seeing the baby and Elizabeth, is hard not to think about you as a baby, and…it was overwhelming back then, you know? Thinking how you'd grow up to be, the kind of person you'd be…" He paused smiling at Veronica. By then she was already struggling not to cry, and he could tell. Keith needed to be quick now if he didn't want to make her cry. "You know, if someone would've told me this was how your life was going to turn out, if someone had told me this was the person I would help raise to be, then I swear to God I wouldn't have worried so much all those nights about you…"

Veronica wasn't thinking then when she reached out and wrapped her arms tightly around Keith's neck. He was her everything for such a long time, her rock, her only thing constant. And while now she had her very own little family, nothing ever made her doubt that she surely wouldn't be here if it weren't for that man before her.

"What I was trying to say is that I know right now you have a million emotions and thoughts about your family and the babies, but here I am telling you, you have _nothing_ to worry about, Veronica. They are going to be _fine_, and you know why I know that?" Veronica was at that point tearing up slightly, and with a huge knot in her throat. The best she could do was offering him a nod of her head. "They have _you_ as their mom. They are going to be amazing —they already are as a matter of fact."

And yup, that did it, and so the actual big elephant tears started falling right then. "You should know, if I'm half, I'm serious, if me and Logan are half the parent you were for me, I am also sure those kiddos are going to be fine too…" After she said that, Keith smiled down at her and kissed strongly the top of her head.

Before he could say anything in return though, Luke made himself heard all the way in the laundry room with his wails. Veronica chuckled slightly but also shook her head. "And I was wondering already why it'd taken him so long to miss mama…" Veronica said with a watery chuckle before leaning in and giving Keith another tight hug. "I gotta go get Luke now, but…Thank you, thanks for everything Daddy…" Veronica whispered before meeting Keith's eyes and smiling.

Keith matched her smile and simply nodded his head as Veronica walked out of the laundry room, walking her way up the stairs to her son. Her very own baby boy. The same one that'd make her oh-so proud one day…

Oh, if only _she _knew how thankful _Keith _was for everything she was everyday…

Veronica had grown into an amazing woman, and while it did sadden Keith every once in a while to think Lianne missed and would keep missing oh-so much from their daughter's life, Keith still couldn't complain about the way things turned out to be. His daughter was happy —happier than ever, and that alone was enough to make _him_ the happiest man alive. Lianne…oh well…it truly was her lost…

xxxx

Veronica was sitting on the couch with baby Luke curled up on her lap when Logan and Elizabeth made it back to the apartment. Baby had just eaten and was in that semi-awake, semi-comatose state babies get after a good feeding. Veronica was still trying to burp him as Luke did his best to stay awake despite his milk drunkenness. Veronica smiled down at him before watching Elizabeth walk into the room.

This didn't look good.

"Why are you pouting?" Veronica asked her as sweetly as she could as Elizabeth stuck out her lip even more, and sat down by her mom.

She gave baby Luke a good look before kissing him on the head. Veronica smiled at that even though they still needed to work on softer kisses with Elizabeth; poor Luke was startled by the kiss, but still with just a little strokes to his tiny back by Veronica, he was back to his peaceful sweet self.

"Grandpa went bye bye…" Elizabeth told Veronica at last, as Logan finally made it to the living room after putting away Elizabeth's coat and backpack.

"You knew Grandpa was leaving Ellie. That's why we were taking him to the airport in the first place."

Elizabeth had known this as she volunteered to go to the airport but she still didn't like it. After looking at Logan with an uneasy face, and pouty lips, Elizabeth turned back to Veronica and with a whimper; she buried her face on her mom's arm.

"She's being dramatic…" Logan mouthed to Veronica as he took a seat by her.

Veronica in any case just quirked an eyebrow. "Pot meet kettle maybe?" She told Logan just as softly, and at the way his jaw dropped, it was hard not to smile.

"What are you trying to say? That when I pout and whine I look like an adorable five year old…why Thank you honey…" Logan mocked Veronica with a smirk, making her smile, but also roll her eyes.

She chose better to shift her attention back to Elizabeth now. She was indeed the adorable five year old after all. "Elizabeth, can I tell you something?" Veronica told the child then softly. She waited for a moment to see if Elizabeth would look up from her arm, but when she didn't, Veronica just motioned Logan with her head to take the baby from her.

By now, Luke was out to the world, and he didn't even flinch when Logan took him oh-so carefully from Veronica, and cradled him in his arms instead. "You'd better get used to the drama buddy…we have lots of that in our family…" Logan whispered to the baby before giving the little man a kiss to his forehead. Luke was _so_ amazing, Logan still couldn't believe he and Veronica had actually done something so perfect —_again_. Because that was the truth, even when she was a bit of a drama queen sometimes as of lately, Elizabeth was just as perfect and wonderful as Luke was of course.

In any case, just as Logan finished settling the baby in his arms, he saw as Veronica pulled Elizabeth into her lap. She looked at Elizabeth with a sad look on her face as Elizabeth was actually tearing up and covering her face with her hands and arms.

Veronica's heart broke a little then. One thing were the tears Elizabeth shed when she was mad and throwing a tantrum, a completely different thing, were sad tears. Those were far too hard to bear. "Oh honey, don't cry…" Veronica pleaded her as she held Elizabeth strongly in her arms. "I'm very sad Grandpa had to go bye-bye too, you know? I miss him a bunch…" Veronica confessed sincerely then in hopes to get Elizabeth to open up.

Elizabeth was still pouting terribly when her eyes slightly opened, and she looked at Veronica with the saddest look ever on her face. "Why can't he stay?"

Veronica shrugged her shoulders uneasily at the question. "He lives in California, Ellie. You know this. He has his own house there—"

"—But he could stay here too…" Elizabeth interrupted still not understanding why Grandpa couldn't be here all the time.

In all honesty, Veronica was a little bit at a loss right now as to what to say to Elizabeth, and thankfully, before she even looked over at Logan, he chimed in. "Elizabeth, do you know mommy and I used to live in California as well, right?"

Elizabeth reluctantly, looked up at Logan. She was still a little mad he'd let Grandpa go just like that. She still offered Logan a small nod with her head.

"Well, then you must know that when we first came here we missed everything back in Cali so much too— especially Grandpa—"

"_You_ missed him too?" Elizabeth asked Logan softly then, and he didn't miss a beat to reply.

"Oh yeah, I did…" He told her honestly. "And I still do. But you know, the fact that we don't live on the same town makes it all the more especial when we see each other, you know?"

Elizabeth pondered those words before turning to look at her mom. "Are we gonna see him again?"

"Of course," Veronica assured Elizabeth as fast as she could form words. "As a matter of fact, we just need the little man to get a _little _bit older so we can go visit Grandpa and stay with him for a few weeks in Cali."

"Really?" Elizabeth asked then, already with a little smile on her face.

Veronica nodded, and so did Logan when Elizabeth shifted her eyes to him. "How old does Luke have to get?" She asked curiously after a small moment. The baby sure was tiny now, what if they had to wait months and months before going to go see grandpa?

Veronica looked at the baby with a soft smile before addressing Elizabeth. "Just a few weeks more, I promise. It'll still be summer when we go see him so you'll get to do all sort of fun things, okay?"

"We'll get to go to the ocean together," Logan added then with a silly smile on his face. He and Veronica shared a look, and soon after, she was smiling too.

Veronica was sure than from the very moment both those kids were conceived Logan had been dreaming about taking them to the ocean and show them just how awesome it was. And of course he'd taken Elizabeth to some of the best beaches in New York, but it still didn't compare to the kind of water Logan had grew up with. He longed to take Elizabeth and eventually baby Luke as well, to the water more than any other place, to be honest. Veronica understood this quite well, and that was why she so enthusiastically nodded her head at Elizabeth. "Daddy will show you all his tricks on the water, I promise…" She said, and finally, all of Elizabeth's tears dried up, and she replaced them for the brightest smile.

"Can we tell Grandpa? We can call him and tell'im we will go when baby is not so tiny? That'll make him so happy!" She assured her strongly —Elizabeth honestly needed to get this news out STAT.

"Sure honey, go get my phone and we'll call him. He's probably still waiting for takeoff…" Veronica told Elizabeth as the little girl nodded, and far too quickly scurried off to get the phone

Veronica chuckled before looking down at the little man on Logan's lap —Baby was still sound asleep, and of course that made her smile also. "What's in your mind, huh?" Veronica asked Logan then without shifting her eyes from the baby. She knew that boy like the back of her hand, he grew thoughtful somewhere along their conversation with Elizabeth, and now Veronica wanted to know why.

Logan let out a breath before shrugging his shoulders at Veronica. "I…I don't know, Elizabeth, we—"

"Logan," Veronica cut him off gently, because he wasn't saying anything.

He looked at her slightly startled, before he just shook his head and decided to get this over with. "With everything Elizabeth said, I got into thinking, and, you know, one day I think I would like to—"

"Move back to California?" Veronica filled in for him knowingly. She'd thought about it too to be honest. Of course she had.

Logan looked surprised at her words, but he still nodded his head. "Yeah…I miss it, you know?" He said in the name of an explanation even though it wasn't needed.

As much as Veronica loved New York —she kind of liked how hectic it was for some reason, she knew eventually they would want something different —for them, for the kids, for their family…

"Yeah," Veronica agreed with a small nod of her head. "I think I talk for myself and Elizabeth when I say having my Dad closer would be…the best," She admitted with a cheeky smile. "And well…I think having your water back will make you quite happy too, am I right?"

Logan smirked goofily nodding his head. Nobody in the world knew him as much as Veronica did. Even if it was something perhaps obvious and silly in comparison to Keith, but still, Logan really did miss living by the beach, and he was glad Veronica knew as much. "I know it's stupid, but…yeah…" He admitted simply at last.

Veronica shook her head ever so slightly. "Nah…not stupid. I like that about you. Did I ever tell you that? Those suits are kinda hot," She teased easily before the two of them heard Elizabeth running back into the living room, and they shared a look. This conversation now had to wait for later.

"Found it mom!" Elizabeth called maybe a little too loudly considering the baby was napping, but Thank God that little one was a heavy sleeper —he didn't even stir.

Veronica gave Elizabeth a look as the little girl walked closer to them holding the phone in her hands. "What did I do?" She asked looking at her mom cautiously.

"Why would you say that?" Veronica replied awfully calm.

Elizabeth didn't like it for some reason. She knew that face her mom had right now wasn't a normal face. "You are looking at me funny," Elizabeth whined as she looked at Veronica for just another moment before shifting her eyes to Logan. "Daddy!" She cried with a big pout on her lips.

Logan in all honesty, could only chuckle, he had no idea what was going on between those two right now. "I don't know sweetie. What did you do?"

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and kept the pout on her face as she moved to the couch and Veronica pulled her into her lap. "I played with the phone…" Elizabeth admitted quietly then, not daring to look at her mom but still looking down at her lap.

Logan smiled slightly, before looking at Veronica quickly —how did she know?

"How did you know?" Elizabeth asked then all too quietly, shyly turning to look at her mom's eyes.

Veronica was smiling sweetly at her though, and that somewhat put Elizabeth back at ease. She wasn't supposed to play with her mom's phone without first asking, but…her mommy had been chatting with her Dad, so she didn't see the harm. Especially because she didn't think Veronica would notice, but oh well…that was her mom…she knew everything apparently.

"Mommy knows lots of things…" Veronica said in the name of a nice answer. Elizabeth nodded her little head at her mom; she knew.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Veronica told her quickly. "You can play; just ask mama first, kay?"

Elizabeth nodded, as a shy smile then started creeping to her mouth. "Can I play now then mommy?"

Veronica scoffed playfully, shaking her head. "You are a crazy lady, Elizabeth." She stated as she hugged Elizabeth to her, and kissed her head as Elizabeth laughed softly. "And you are pushing your luck," Veronica told her knowingly then with a raised eyebrow. Elizabeth did her sweetest smile then, and Veronica gave in. "But mommy loves you…" She confessed needlessly as Elizabeth giggled her head off when Veronica passed her the phone again.

"And also mommy's a sucker for her," Veronica told Logan all too quietly over Elizabeth's head as the kid nestled her head in her mom's chest and put on that one YouTube video she loved and had watched more than a million times.

"You are a good mom…" Logan stated seriously, then cocking his eyebrow when Veronica made that _"You are not serious" _face. Well, he _was_ serious. "We're lucky," He added then after a moment, and at that, Veronica didn't make the face.

She agreed. "Yeah…yeah we are…"

* * *

**AN : There's only one more chapter left to this story :( There's a new one in the making though!**

** I hope you liked this chapter anyway! Will try to update asap :) Thank you so much for reading!**


	10. Chapter Ten - This is Forever

**Chapter Ten - This is Forever...**

* * *

If it hadn't been for baby Luke sleeping on the backseat, Veronica would have let her phone ring and ring until whoever was calling gave up and hung up. She forgot to put her phone in silence, so if it kept ringing it was sure to wake up the baby and she most definitely didn't want that. Work was calling, but it was her day off and they knew that.

It had taken Veronica a long time, years, but she now finally had her priorities clear and most importantly, she didn't feel guilty about it. So what if she wasn't working full time anymore? She was still getting to do the two things she loved most, spending time with her family while still working on cases. Eventually Luke will be old enough to go to school like Elizabeth, and then Veronica would go back to full time, but as of right now, part time was working wonders. She was working just as hard, only now the amount of hours she had to do every year was reduced to half —and that, well, that helped oh-so much. She was still kicking ass at work, but she wasn't missing her baby's first year of life —and just _that _in her book, was really amazing.

In the end, with a sigh, Veronica finally picked up the phone. "Hi David, how are you?" She asked him faking the sweetness in her voice.

He grunted before cutting to the chase. "The Sullivan Case; did you or didn't you meet with the witness yesterday?"

Veronica had to try her best not to scoff. "Of course I did,"

"Where is the transcript then?" David sounded so annoyed and stressed —only because of that Veronica was able to contain herself and not snap at him.

"Did you check your desk David dear…?" Veronica told him in a patronizing tone she couldn't help. David most likely had been working on the case in the conference room and hadn't even thought about visiting his office.

After her words, he didn't speak for another moment. "It's right on top of your desk –I even put a red post-it on it that reads important."

"Oh,"

Veronica couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped her lips. "Yeah. You go do that. And please don't call me again," Veronica warned playfully enough even though she did mean that. "Ciao…" She let out a puff of air as she hung up the phone without letting David say anything else.

She smiled to herself as she looked back at her baby boy still soundly napping. "Since you are still sleeping, mama's going to make another call, kay…?" Veronica asked to the sleeping baby before dialing. Took only two rings before they picked up the phone. "Hello Dear Best Friend of mine!" She chirped into the phone with a smile —this time she didn't even have to fake the sweetest in her voice.

Wallace chuckled as Veronica spoke again. "How's your birthday going?"

"It's going great V," He answered trying to stiff yet another laugh. He loved Veronica's days off —eventually she would always be bored enough to pay him a call –he wouldn't admit it to her, but he did love it to no end. Especially when Veronica had Elizabeth with her and Wallace got to catch up a little with the little one. "I'm still waiting my present from you, though…"

Veronica shook her head playfully at that —as if she could forget about that one. She'd sent that present weeks ago in the mail —what Wallace didn't know was that Erika, his significant other, was holding on to said present until night time. "Oh you wait Dear Wallace –all good things come to those who wait," She parroted before both she and Wallace burst into chuckles. Veronica caught herself laughing too loud soon enough though. "Hey, shush, you don't want to be the one to wake up my kid, I promise you that," She warned with a smile.

"Who you got?"

"Luke —he's sleeping in the backseat. I've been waiting for almost half an hour in the car debating whether to wake him up or not,"

Wallace couldn't help but smile and shake his head at Veronica's problems. "First world problems anyone?" He laughed into the phone but this time Veronica was strong enough not to do it herself. "Suck it up, let the kid sleep Mars!"

Veronica smiled as she looked over at Luke again. "I would, but Elizabeth is in a playdate and I was supposed to pick her up fifteen minutes ago. I'm actually parked in front of the house of Elizabeth's friend…" Wallace was quiet, and Veronica just knew he was shaking his head at hers. "Hey, don't judge me!" She laughed slightly, while Wallace did it wholeheartedly.

"Why don't you run quickly and get Elizabeth. Luke's not going anywhere."

There was no way Veronica was doing that. Right then a whole bunch of those stories of babies forgotten by their parents in their cars rushed to Veronica's mind making her shiver. Oh no, no way in hell. "I can't do that," Veronica told Wallace simply and given her serious tone, he didn't push the subject any more.

After that, they talked for a few more minutes until Wallace had to go back to work. In the end, Veronica decided to take the baby with her. She needed to pick up Elizabeth, and at least Luke had gotten a solid hour of sleep already.

Only a moment later, Veronica was already opening the car's door, and gently unbuckling Luke from his car-seat. She lifted him up into her arms as gently as she could, and to her surprise, baby Luke stayed asleep the moment his head rested on Veronica's shoulder.

She smiled to herself as she gently touched Luke's head and kissed him gently. "I will never forget about you in the car, but just in case, you are coming with mama, okay?" Veronica whispered to him as she locked her car, and slowly walked to the front door of Jenn's house.

Now, Jenn was one of Elizabeth's best friends in the whole world, and her mom, Heather, also happened to be one of the few moms from Elizabeth's class Veronica tolerated, and actually liked. Heather was such a good mom —Veronica thought so anyway. She had three kids. Three girls at that. And Jenn was the oldest, and to say Elizabeth had spent time with them since the baby was born was surely an understatement. Heather had been first in line to help out with Elizabeth knowing at the very beginning with the new baby things tended to get crazy. Now Luke was over four-months-old, but Elizabeth loved her BFF, and actually loved spending time here from time to time, so Veronica let her. One of these days Veronica seriously needed to get her act together and ask Heather for all three of her girls so that _Heather _could be the one to have a bit of a break.

Veronica laughed to herself just at that thought though. Just as Heather had told her once so rightly, for her taking Elizabeth wasn't a big deal, "_She's just one more. I'm used to the chaos."_ She told Veronica. While for her, well…Veronica was used to just the one kid, and now the baby, but well…four girls, at once…she really needed to get her act together first…

In the end, after Veronica knocked on the door, it took Heather and the girls just seconds to rush to open it. All four girls were flustered and smiling. That made Veronica smile as well. "Hi," She chanted as Elizabeth ran to her and clutched to her legs.

"Hey mama," Elizabeth greeted looking up at Veronica.

"Did you have fun?"

And of course at the question Elizabeth nodded as vigorously as she could.

"Good," Veronica answered before turning to Heather; she scrunched up her nose and smiled at her. "Thank you so much for having her," It honestly meant a lot.

Heather in any case just shrugged her shoulders, and instead of replying, moved closer to Veronica so that she could take a look of that little baby of hers. "He's _so_ beautiful." She gushed, and while Veronica wasn't to this day very good at taking compliments for herself, she had gotten pretty good at taking those compliments for her kids. They were after all the very best thing in the world, right?

She smiled and nodded looking at Heather, before Elizabeth chimed in. "Actually Miss Heather, he's _handsome_. That's what my Daddy says we call baby boys." She informed the grown woman with a serious look.

Veronica bit on her lip at Elizabeth's words trying to keep herself from laughing. Truth was, Logan had indeed told her that. _Why_, you may ask? Because since the baby was born Elizabeth hadn't stopped saying how _pretty_ he was, and since for Logan boys couldn't be pretty but _handsome, _that conversation with his daughter had happened.

"Well Elizabeth, thank you for telling me that. I didn't know," Heather admitted with a small smile even though Veronica knew she was dying to laugh as well. "You know, I only have baby girls, so nobody has told me how to call the little guys before. Thank you," She added, making Elizabeth beam.

"You are welcome." The little girl replied matter of factly before smiling up at Veronica.

"Time to go munchkin, say Goodbye to the girls," Veronica said as sweetly as she could looking over Heather's shoulders were her three girls were chatting and giggling between them.

Elizabeth formed a pout on her face, but still did as she was told. Took them a few minutes to say Goodbye and to promise to do this again sometime soon. Barely twenty minutes later, Veronica and both kids were back at their place. Luke had woken up and considering the loud shrieking coming from his little self, Veronica assumed he was hungry. But then again, for some reason Elizabeth thought that was funny.

"Why are you smiling like that?" It was a mischievous smile, and Veronica had so not being oblivious of it.

"Nothing," Elizabeth replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "You want me to go get a burp cloth for Luke?" She asked oh-so innocently, and of course, it wasn't until then that Veronica noticed the spit up on her blouse. Great. Really, just great, great, great…

She rolled her eyes, but honestly couldn't help the smile on her face and the laugh that escaped. That daughter of hers was…well, _hers_. Whom was she kidding? Elizabeth was half her, half Logan, there was no way she was going to stay an angel forever. "Go get me that burp cloth, you goofball," Veronica told her shaking her head slightly at the way Elizabeth was chuckling. She didn't get to see her mom being a mess too often, so really _that_ was the reason this was so funny.

A few minutes later, both Veronica and Luke were changed, and baby had just finished eating, so things were looking better now. Veronica lay back on the couch and sat Lucas on her chest close to her face, and just stared at his chubby face as he reached out for her hair and tried to eat it. It made him giggle every time Veronica smiled at him and shook her head taking it back from him. "No, no…that's not for eating son of mine," She told him playfully as she tickled his sides. "I love you buddy…" She told him then just because. "Even if you spit on me, and drool on me, and sometimes even pee and go poopy on me…mama still loves ya," She told Luke as he all but squealed reaching out for his mom's hair again.

Veronica laughed at him, but instead of keeping with this '_conversation'_ with her four-month-old, she got up from the couch and went in search of that daughter of hers. She'd gone to the kitchen to get her sippy cup a little while ago, and she still wasn't back.

Veronica narrowed her eyes when she went to kitchen only to see Elizabeth wasn't there. "Ellie!" She called then as she adjusted the baby on her hip. "Elizabeth…" Veronica called again, and just then she heard Elizabeth in the playroom. "You okay in there, kiddo?" She asked simply as she entered the room.

Elizabeth had just made a mess with all their DVDs. "I'm good." She replied casually, as she kept looking through the DVDs.

Veronica made a face as she moved to sit by Elizabeth on the carpet. She put the baby down by them after getting a toy for him to play. "What are you looking? Wanna watch a movie?"

"Yeah…" Elizabeth replied looking up at Veronica a tad uneasily. "But I can't find it." She confessed, twisting her lips as she looked down at the bunch of DVDs on the floor. "Where is it, huh?" She asked, but Veronica was in all seriousness, lost as to what Elizabeth was talking about.

"Which movie are you looking for honey?"

"Your wedding," Elizabeth replied easily, yet Veronica couldn't help the surprise those words caused her.

"My Wedding?" Since when she had a wedding DVD?

"Yeah, when I was at Jenn's, we got to watch her mommy's wedding DVD. It was _so_ beautiful mommy. She had a princess dress and all." Elizabeth told Veronica with a bright smile.

She was so excited, and for some reason that made Veronica feel quite awful. How was she supposed to tell her daughter now that said DVD did not exist in this family? Oh boy…

"But I can't find yours. Where is it, huh?"

Veronica sighed. "You know Elizabeth," She started talking as sweetly as she could but couldn't help when her voice faded as she thought in just the right words to tell her daughter.

Out of the corner of her eye Veronica noted Luke then as he was struggling to grab the remote control —he was actually almost doing an army crawl to get it and that made her smile. Elizabeth had crawled right before she turned six months old, but who knew, and maybe this little guy would do it sooner…

In any case, Veronica shook her head then and focused back on Elizabeth and this wedding video dilemma. "Daddy and I actually don't have a wedding DVD sweetie."

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. "How come? You lost it?"

Veronica shook her head once. "Nope." She said simply. "Daddy and I never got a wedding."

"But why?" Elizabeth asked back, clearly confused herself.

And in all honesty, Veronica had not a single clue how to answer that. "Elizabeth," Veronica said softly then, sensing Elizabeth was getting upset.

Elizabeth in any case shook her head and looked away. Why was she making such a big deal of this, Veronica had no idea. Of course they had talked about weddings before with her. She'd even been a flower girl for her Uncle Wallace a couple years ago, but then again, she'd been not even four at the time yet, now she was six, and of course she understood more.

After a small moment, Veronica reached out and moved Elizabeth closer to her. She pulled her into her lap, and held her close to her chest. "Honey…" Veronica sighed making Elizabeth look up at her. "I met your Daddy a long long time ago, you know that, right?" Elizabeth nodded her head slowly. "And he and I, we've been together for quite a long time. We are all a family, you, Luke, Daddy and I. We love each other and that's the most important thing." Elizabeth looked up at Veronica and twisted her lips. She knew that, but how come they couldn't also have a wedding.

"Uncle Wallace had a wedding," Elizabeth threw that out there just because.

Veronica nodded her head. "I know baby." She agreed simply. "Lots of people have weddings, and that's okay, that's great even. Some people just don't feel like they need them."

"Like Daddy and you?" Elizabeth asked after a beat.

Veronica simply nodded her head. "Yeah…"

Elizabeth let out a breath as she looked up at Veronica and shrugged her shoulders. "It's okay mommy," She told her, reaching up and kissing her mom's cheek slightly. "I just thought it was so beautiful mommy. You would've looked so pretty on a princess dress too…" She whispered looking at Veronica's face as she moved her mom's hair off her face.

And those words made Veronica smile in spite of herself. Elizabeth had told her she looked like a princess since she was old enough to mispronounce _princess_. There had been this one thanksgiving when Elizabeth was barely two-years-old and Veronica remembered going into her room to wake her up for dinner, and then when Elizabeth saw her mom all dolled up in a beautiful dress, she'd told her how she looked like a princess with sleepy voice and eyes, but also a great big smile.

Since then, Elizabeth would tell Veronica she looked like a princess every time she was in a cute enough dress.

"Maybe one day baby girl…" Veronica told Elizabeth softly as she kissed her head. "What do you say we watch a movie now? You and I and Luke, while Daddy comes home?" Veronica asked her excitedly then before Elizabeth could say anything to her prior statement.

"Yeah…" Elizabeth replied with a nod. "This one!" She giggled as she reached out and grabbed one of the DVDs on the floor.

Veronica laughed as well, but didn't complain. No matter how many times Elizabeth watched The Wizard of Oz; the girl _loved_ the movie…

xxxx

"Psst…Psst…" Nope, not working. Veronica still didn't hear him —nor was acknowledging him in any way. Logan rolled his eyes a little as he walked inside the room his so-called significant other was in. Veronica was sitting on the floor with her back resting on the couch as she looked down at a book. "Oh," Took Logan a little by surprise to see Elizabeth lying on said couch sleeping soundly.

And it wasn't until he spoke then that Veronica noticed him, and looked up. "When did you get here?" She whispered to him.

"Just now…" Logan answered tilting his head confused. "Is sleeping beauty here sick?" He asked as he helped Veronica to her feet and leaned down to kiss her hello.

She shook her head at his question though. "No. I think her playdate with Heather and the girls tired her out…" She explained as she took Logan's hand and slowly the two of them stepped out of the playroom. That for sure was a new one —both kids napping at the same time, and she and Logan actually getting a minute for themselves during the day? Wow…Honestly Veronica had forgotten already how that was.

And sure enough, apparently Logan had too, since he was taking all the advantage he could of that moment with just her. As soon as they walked into their bedroom, Logan had her pressed up against the wall. They were just kissing, but Veronica really enjoyed the way having him so close to her felt. It was good to know that in spite of all the time they've known each other, being together, even desite the fact that she'd only had the baby a few months ago, Logan still felt that _need _to be close to her, and kiss her…and well, all the other stuff too. He made her feel loved like no one else —well, perhaps the kids too, but…loved in _that _way only he could.

"I love you, you know?" Logan whispered into the kiss as they parted ways for a moment.

Veronica smiled against his lips as well and then went right back to kiss him. "I wanna tell you something…" She said quietly after a few more minutes of kissing the boy.

Logan pulled his head back from her ever so slightly studying her face. She looked nervous —not like something bad had happened, but somewhat nervous nonetheless… "Are you okay?" He asked her simply.

Veronica nodded her head and smiled in hopes to put him at ease, and stop his mind from going to dark places. "I'm fine." She added then but Logan wasn't buying it. He looked at her cautiously.

"Are you pregnant again?" He blurted out right then because he couldn't think in what else could make her this nervous but also happy at the same time. Because that was what he saw, Logan saw in her eyes that happy sparkle, but also nervousness on her features.

Veronica in any case just looked at him as if he were crazy. "God no, Logan!" She told him decisively. They had just had a baby for Heaven's sake.

Logan shrugged his shoulders. It was a long shot anyway. "Then what is it?" He asked letting out a breath as they moved to the bed, and sat side by side.

Veronica matched his motion, and shrugged her own shoulders. "I had a talk with Elizabeth today…"

"Okay…"

"She saw Heather's and Jason's wedding video at their house today. When we arrived here, she wanted more but to see _our_ wedding video," Veronica explained giving him a face. Now he got what was with her face?

"What did you tell her?" Logan asked her then softly. He reached down and grabbed her hand just because. He lifted it up and kissed it as Veronica started talking.

"The truth." Veronica answered simply. "I'm not going to start lying to my child now, you know?"

Of course not. Logan knew that. "What did she say?" Logan asked back after a beat, and Veronica would be crazy if she ignored the way his smile fell, and he asked that question with that hint of sadness on his voice.

She really needed to fix this. The sooner the better. "Nothing, she was sweet about it and didn't give me much grief." Veronica explained. "I let her watch The Wizard of Oz too," She added and Logan laughed; of course Elizabeth hadn't complained if she'd gotten to see _her _movie.

"If she asks again, I'll take the baton from you, and give her an answer this time, okay?" Logan offered with a small smile, knowing talking to Elizabeth about _that topic _wasn't her favorite thing in the world. Especially when it happened so soon. He'd thought Elizabeth wouldn't need talks about why they weren't married until she were much older, but oh well…

"Actually," Veronica called then taking Logan a little aback.

"What?" He asked her back because he'd been seriously lost in his own thoughts when she spoke.

"I just…" Veronica hesitated shifting her eyes under his gaze for a moment. She took a breath before looking back up. "I was just thinking, and you know, maybe Elizabeth _should _be able to see that video she wants anyway, y'know?"

Logan was lost. Oh yeah. Completely and utterly lost. "What?"

Veronica rolled her eyes at him. Come on, Logan, don't make this harder than it already is. "We don't have a wedding video, but…maybe we should…" Veronica explained shyly, again looking away from his eyes. She wanted to see his reaction but it scared her a little for some reason.

"What are you saying?"

Veronica shifted her eyes under his eyes, but she knew by now he already knew what she was talking about. "I just want Elizabeth to have a video to show her bratty friends when they come over for a playdate as well, that's all…" She said then trying to sound casual and as if this weren't the biggest deal even when it was.

Logan was quiet for a long moment then, just staring at her bright blue eyes as Veronica nervously tapped her lap.

He took a deep breath as he reached out his hand and tucked a finger under her chin making her look up at him. "You are saying you want to get married?"

Veronica shrugged her shoulders. "I guess we have to." She smiled innocently up at him, realizing Logan was in all honesty holding his breath as she spoke. "Yeah, Logan, it means maybe we should get married. For Elizabeth, you know?"

Yeah, right. This _so_ wasn't about Elizabeth —_completely_— but still Veronica was okay with making it look that way for right now. Was she ready to accept that maybe, just maybe she wanted a wedding with the boy she loved more than life itself? Maybe not yet, but soon enough she would —she was sure of that.

"I love you,"

Veronica smiled at Logan's confession —she kind of already knew that. "I know." She replied smugly. "I do too." And just as those words came out of her mouth, she smiled and moved closer to Logan, gripping his shirt in an attempt to bring him closer to her. Logan wasn't even thinking when he obliged her wishes, and leaned down as their lips found, and they kissed —passionately, and for quite some time until all of a sudden Logan broke the kiss and scurried off the bedroom, leaving Veronica confused.

"Where are you going doofus?" Veronica whined clearly not liking one bit that he'd left. "Logan!" She attempted a shout, but it didn't work –Logan still didn't answer.

Instead, Veronica had to wait until he came back to their bedroom almost panting. "What's _that_?" She asked him, actually feeling even more confused now when she saw _that thing _Logan was holding in his hands. "Where did you get that?"

Now it was Logan who shrugged. "I've always had it." He confessed looking shyly down at the little box in his hands. "I…" He wanted to tell her something he'd kept to himself for forever, but was it worth it rehashing the past? Well…they were freakishly getting married, so what the heck, right? It had after all, been a long time ago. "You remember that time in college when we broke up?"

Veronica gave him a face. "You are going to have to give me a _little bit_ more information? Which time?" She raised her eyebrows at him, and Logan rolled his eyes.

He couldn't really blame her for saying that, though. "Freshman year. After we've gotten back together after winter break?"

Ah! Now how could Veronica _ever_ forget that one, huh? That of course had been the time he slept with that one that shall not be named. In any case, Veronica didn't let the snappy comments escape her brain, and instead she just nodded at him. "I remember,"

"Well, you remember the night we broke up?" Veronica nodded her head again. "You remember we were supposed to go out to dinner that night?"

_Oh shit_. Veronica put two and two together then but…no…no way in hell. "You are not serious,"

Oh but he was. "I've bought the ring over the weekend. I…I'll be surprised if it's not rusted and all…" He said thoughtfully, looking down at the still closed box in his hands.

"Logan…" Veronica asked, getting up from the bed, and walking closer to him. She took his hands into hers, and then they shared a look.

"It's always been you, buddy…" Logan promised quietly then, as Veronica lifted her hands from his, and Logan finally opened the box to reveal the most beautiful diamond ring she'd ever seen. It wasn't even that big, it was…just _perfect_…

"What do you say? Do you want to marry me, Veronica Mars?"

What was with the sudden tears in her eyes, huh? Maybe it was the realization that yeah, Logan was right. It had always been him all along as well. In any case, in that moment, even though Veronica tried to find her words to say _yes_ right away, she couldn't muster a word for another moment. Instead, she just nodded her head at him, as one; seriously, just _one_ lone tear fell from her eye.

Logan smiled boyishly at Veronica, but…it was more than that. It was one of those smiles you only smile a handful of times, the kind that make you feel as though your face will break? Yeah, that kind. It then took him only a moment to slip the ring on her finger. One too many years late, but still, Logan in that moment didn't regret a single moment that led them here today. Now everything felt much righter that ever before. They were together and had been together through hell and more. Also been together through the happiest times of his life, so yeah, that meant something, that meant now was just the right time to marry the girl of his dreams.

Veronica couldn't help the lump in her throat as she looked down at that shiny precious ring on her finger. Did it scare her out of her pants the idea of losing herself to marriage? Hell to the yes. But did that scare her more than being without Logan? Hell no. She loved this boy. So much it hurt sometimes.

She had no idea what he'd done to her, but without she realizing how or when, he'd changed her.

He'd made her rethink all those things Veronica considered set on stone once upon a time.

Growing up the way she did, seeing everything she did, all those marriages falling apart, Veronica had come to believe for a long time how a family was always more of a burden than a strength as some people put it.

Right now, long ago since she was the teenager who came to that conclusion, Veronica was almost positive she'd been wrong. All those people's marriages failing honestly didn't mean hers with Logan had to too.

Another tear fell from her eye, and when she looked up at Logan, he was looking a little worried. "You know, I just…_never _thought I'd wear one of _this_…" Veronica confessed looking down at the ring. But really, it wasn't that much the ring what made her emotional, but what it stood for. "I'm not sure what you did to me, but it's bad boy, it's really bad…" She smiled up at Logan as he cupped her cheeks and kissed her lips.

"Were you really going to propose to me that night?" Veronica asked several moments later after both she and Logan had had some time to process everything that was happening.

Logan had her hand into his as he moved them to the bed, and Veronica sat on his lap. At the question however, he just shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah…" He admitted, shying away from her eyes for some reason. "I'm glad I didn't now…" Logan added as an afterthought making Veronica narrow her eyes.

"Well, you know…you would've say no…" He told her simply and in all honesty, Veronica couldn't tell him otherwise. "We would have probably broken up then anyway…"

Veronica looked at Logan smiling a little uneasy. He was right. "I didn't say no this time." She pointed out goofily then, showing him the ring on her finger. She briefly looked at it as well, and it made her shake her head. She still couldn't believe it. Hell, Logan still couldn't believe it. He chuckled as he buried his head on her arm slightly. Veronica cradled his face and kissed him softly. "Where did you keep it all this time, though?" Veronica asked him, feeling a little offended she hadn't found it before.

Logan was sort of smirking when he looked up at her. "You know that black box on the top shelf of the guest bedroom's closet?" Sometimes it really was a good thing Veronica was only 5'1 —there was no way she could reach that high and Logan knew as much.

"Huh…" Veronica said thoughtfully after a moment anyway. Well, Logan had indeed carried with that box on every move they've done. It was locked and all, but truth was, Veronica was never that curious into what it was. She had a guess and since she didn't like it too much, she'd just left it at that.

Oh well…

"You thought I had my father's ashes or something in there, didn't you?"

Veronica looked _oh-so_ mortified as Logan said that. She had _so_ thought that. "I did! I'm awful!" She cried playfully, as she buried her face on her hands.

Logan chuckled, but then also moved her hands from her face. "Do you really want to do this? If you are doing this just for Eli—"

Veronica shook her head ever so slightly, pressing one of her fingers to Logan's lips. "It's not _just_ for Elizabeth. You ought to know that by now. I _want _to do this…for myself…and you…" She added, smiling sweetly.

Logan was buying it. Oh yeah. Completely.

"You know what scared me the most when I got pregnant with Elizabeth?" Logan grew only a bit cautious, but he still simply shook his head at the question. "I was afraid to screw her up." Veronica confessed sincerely. "I looked back at _both _our families, and it scared the bejesus out of me for the baby." She was smiling as she said that, but the truth of the matter was that it really wasn't that funny. "The way I saw it, between your mom and mine, that baby had 50% chance to become an alcoholic…or worse." She left it at that when Logan hung his head. It was true though. "You know what I mean," Veronica pointed out anyway, giving Logan a look. It took him a moment, but in the end, he nodded. "But then Elizabeth was born, and she's amazing, and you are amazing, and it's been great. So I guess now what I want for my daughter —and baby Luke too, is for them not to be afraid they would screw up their babies one day, you know?" Logan was slowly getting there, but not quite yet. "I want them to know that a happy semi-healthy family is possible. I don't want them to think marriage is this terrible thing because mama didn't do it. I want to show them that it is possible to find the one, and love him for what he is. No high, impossible expectations, but just who you are."

"Stupid past, and flaws and all?"

"Stupid past, and flaws and all, dummy." And with that she kissed him softly on the lips.

"We are getting married then." Logan stated eagerly, now suddenly feeling way too happy to contain it. He kissed Veronica again and again then until they were both out of breath. "You'd better get ready Mars…" He warned her playfully making Veronica roll her eyes.

She didn't mean it though. "Oh honey, you don—" And so then her words were cut off by…not exactly the sounds of joy, but close enough; her son's wailing. "I guess someone got excit—" Damn it, she wasn't getting to finish any of her sentences today! The kiss Logan gave her to shut her up was worth it though. "May I go get the little man now?"

Logan was grinning. "Yes you may…" He agreed as Veronica gave him yet another quick kiss before she got up from his lap and walked out of the room.

He smiled to himself as he shook his head. Was all this really happening?

xxxx

In any case, as Logan stayed behind in the bedroom for a little while longer, Veronica didn't waste time before walking into Luke's room. He was still crying when she opened the door, but the moment he saw her, his tears magically dried up. "What was all the fuss huh?" She asked looking down at the baby on the crib. Luke was barely four months old and was a little ball of cuteness Veronica loved to love every day.

Immediately as he saw her, Luke grinned that toothless grin he did almost every time she came to get him after a nap, and that of course warmed Veronica's heart. "Guess what buddy? Mommy's marrying Daddy. Oh yes, she is." She cooed as she got the baby out of the crib. "Are you happy? Mommy's happy." She assured Luke as she tickled his sides slightly before placing him on the changing table. Luke actually pouted when Veronica put him down but it took her only a silly face and a raspberry to his belly, before he was smiling again. "You are still my number one little man, but Daddy's following close behind…" Veronica rambled to herself as she changed the baby's diaper. "He even had a ring." She said as she waved her hand at Luke. Of course the first thing the baby did was reach out for her hand to take it to his mouth, but Veronica didn't let him. "It's flashy and pretty huh? But we don't eat it." She warned the baby playfully before kissing his belly one more time.

Veronica then just stared at his baby blue eyes and was quiet for a moment. "I love your Daddy. You gotta know that. He makes mommy crazy more than anyone else does in the world, but he's also my best friend. The one person in the world I trust completely. The one person in the world I'm okay sharing you guys with…" She patted his nose making the baby chuckle. "I just…love him, kay? You get that?" Luke blew bubbles, and so Veronica took that as a yes. "Yeah…it's a good thing bebe…a good thing…"

Little did Veronica know, Logan had been standing just outside the nursery from the second she got Luke.

If anything, her words only reassured him some more that they were doing this for the right reasons. Not because it was the next step. Or because they had children. Or because taxes would be less with them married. But because they loved each other. As simple and oh-so complicated as that…

xxxx

Marrying was so not easy folks. Nope. Not at all. Everything was stressing. Even the things that were supposed to keep you from stressing out, were in fact, stressing. Like the freaking wedding planner. She was a nightmare. A _nightmare_ to deal with. She wanted everything certain way and wouldn't allow it any other way, she even dared to almost scream at Veronica for putting her hand on Logan's thigh the other night during the rehearsal dinner.

Yeah people, not fun in the slightest. But then again, as of right now Veronica had already demanded for her to go and just leave her alone so she could finish getting ready, and you know, get married in the next hour. Holy shit!

It made her anxious and nervous, but…that really didn't have anything to do with the wedding per se or Logan, but with all the people that had already filled in the church.

That was a bit of a nightmare too, but —

And then there was a knock on the door, and Veronica lost her trail of thought. Maybe that was a good thing though.

"Who is it?" She asked loudly without opening the door; God knew she had already been warned against opening the door to Logan and letting him see her on the dress —which by the way was nothing short of gorgeous, but it was also making her itch all over…

In any case, Veronica didn't need worry about the knock, since only a moment later Wallace called his name, and right after him another little voice was heard as well.

Veronica smiled as she walked the distance from the mirror to the door —it seriously was easier said than done.

"Hi," She smiled down at Elizabeth as soon as she caught sight of that pintsized version of herself. "Oh you look beautiful sweet child of mine…" Veronica told the kid playfully, yet not lying one little bit.

Elizabeth grinned at Veronica before shifting her eyes towards Wallace. "See? I told you she'd be happy to see me Uncle Wallie?"

Wallace let out a breath defeated, before nodding his head at Elizabeth. "You were right," He admitted seriously, before smiling and turning to Veronica. "She's almost as good as you." Oh and wasn't that the truth. Elizabeth could single handedly make him do nearly whatever, and make it look easy.

Veronica in any case just chuckled. "Oh Wallace, she's _better_ than me…" Veronica stated playfully, as she patted his back, and comfortingly put her arm around his neck, laying her head on his shoulder.

"You look pretty too mama…" Elizabeth chimed in then. She was looking at Veronica up and down mischievously.

"Thank you pumpkin…" She told back the girl, before leaning down and smoothing down Elizabeth's dress a little. She looked oh-so cute as well. Her dress was white and princess-y like, and just beautiful. Plus, the girl just knew how to wear it, so of course that made it look even better. "Have you seen Daddy?"

Elizabeth nodded her head with no hesitation. "Yup…" She answered with a goofy grin. Truth was she had just seen her Daddy, and he had been acting just too funny. "He was pacing a lot, and he was putting his head on the wall like…this…" Elizabeth then went to the nearest wall and leaned her forehead on the wall just the same way Logan had been doing just a moment ago.

Veronica couldn't help but let out a laugh at that. "Sounds legit…" She said jokingly at Wallace as he too was smiling and nodding at Elizabeth's representation of her father. "Is he okay, though?" She asked Wallace to what he only nodded his assurance.

"How about you Mars? We heard you scared the wedding planner away so we came to make sure you were okay?"

Veronica sat down on one of the chairs on the room, and just looked at Wallace for a moment. This part, the whole big wedding with everybody and the party afterwards, Veronica was actually just doing for Elizabeth. She didn't need any of this, but…Elizabeth was just so happy, and seriously, just because of that happy smile on her girl, Veronica would do this over again.

"I'm fine…" She told Wallace at last, smiling as Elizabeth got busy with her makeup. "Wanna get this over with soon, though…"

Wallace looked at his watch, and then looked back at Veronica nodding. "It's almost time for you to go out there, so…don't trip girl."

Veronica in any case couldn't help but whine and lament herself at those words. _That _was exactly her fear! "Do you want to know what I dreamed about last night?"

Wallace made a face; truth was, he wasn't sure.

"Dude!'

"Okay okay, what did you dream about V?"

Veronica let out a breath as the scenes played in her head on more time. "So it was today. I was dreaming about today. I was…somewhere outside, and I remembered I got to see Elizabeth walking down the aisle with her flowers, and all, and she was wonderful, and I remember thinking how precious she looked."

"That doesn't sound too bad, Veronica…"

"It wasn't just that." Veronica replied uneasily. "The bad part came when it was _my _turn to walk down the aisle." She whispered so that Elizabeth wouldn't hear her being a drama queen. "Everything started okay, everybody stood up for me, and the music played, but then I don't know how, my feet got tangled with the dress and down I went. I tripped like three times after getting up the first time. What if it happens?" Veronica was in truth panicking as she let Wallace on this.

He in any case, just smiled and shook his head at her. "It's going to be okay…" He promised before checking his watch again. "It's almost show time, so…get a grip." He warned her seriously, as he stood right before Veronica, and looked steadily into her eyes. "You are freaking Veronica Mars, this should be the easy part. Think about it like this, you are marrying Logan Echolls. _Logan Echolls_." Wallace repeated slowly then. "The guy was scum, but now he is actually a half decent person, and that's in part thanks to you V. After reforming Logan —and yourself, I would think a silly wedding is piece of cake, no?"

Veronica looked up uneasily at him, but his words were if only slightly comforting. "Promise me you won't laugh if I trip?"

The question made Wallace laugh and Veronica rolled her eyes.

"It's going to be okay." He assured her one more before leaning in and kissing her on the forehead. "My best friend getting married. I never thought I'd see this, you know?"

"You and I both…" Veronica answered softly.

"You look beautiful V…"

Veronica let out a breath at Wallace's words as she too took a look at her dress. She smiled looking up at him. "Well, a girl can't get married in flannel." She said smugly, making Wallace roll his eyes, but also smile as he then called for Elizabeth.

It was time.

"Time to go munchkin, this show is going to start!"

Elizabeth jumped excitedly before running quickly to Veronica. "You'll do good mommy." Elizabeth said those words Veronica had told her a few too many times in the past every time Elizabeth was nervous about something. It warmed Veronica's heart and made her smile.

"I'll see you in a bit baby girl. Kiss Luke for me, okay?"

Elizabeth nodded her head just as Veronica pulled her in for a hug, and kissed her cheek. "Now go on…if you see Daddy tell him not to worry, okay? Tell him mommy is not backing out?"

"What is that mean?" Elizabeth scrunched her face as she asked her question.

Veronica in any case just shook her head and smiled. "You just tell him that, kay?"

"Oh, okay…" Elizabeth sighed before running to Wallace. "Love you mama,"

"Love you too."

Xxxxx

Okay so maybe Veronica was being a little over dramatic before. She sure was one to admit it right now. Truth was, as of this moment, it didn't feel that scary anymore. She'd forgotten her Dad, how could she forget about him? She didn't know, but she had. Keith was walking her down the aisle, he wouldn't let her fall. He never had.

"That's our cue, kiddo. You ready?"

Veronica looked at him steadily in the eyes, before giving him a nod. "Yeah…" She said in the end with a small smile.

Keith matched it, and was glad then when Veronica hooked her arms on his. This was his little girl ladies and gentleman. The very one who had sworn not to get married so many times in the past, and yet, here she was, and she had a smile on her face –good times.

"Daddy…" Veronica whispered when the two of them were already walking down the aisle, and everybody was watching.

Keith was smiling at everybody so when she called, he made a face quickly and shook his head. "Not now…" He whispered back.

Veronica wasn't having that though. "Dad," She insisted childish.

Keith rolled his eyes, but still kept the smile on his face for everybody else. "Can it wait?"

Veronica shook her head, as she too tried to smile and act normal as she saw everyone staring back at her.

"What?" Keith turned his eyes slightly to hers, and finally Veronica felt satisfied.

"I just wanted to say thank you…"

Those words brought a smile to his face, and this time it had not been the smile for show he'd had when he and Veronica started walking the path down the aisle. "I love you honey."

Veronica nodded her head, feeling her eyes hot with tears, but she refused to cry. This was happy day after all. "You too…" She breathed out, before looking back up front, and bang, that her eyes met with Logan's.

Her breath was caught up in her throat in that moment, but still Veronica was smiling. She couldn't believe they were actually doing this. Plus, he looked so good. Seriously, _so good _in that tux.

Veronica then raised her eyebrows playfully at him as if daring him to still do this, and Logan gladly nodded and smirked back. It was on, baby.

Letting out a breath, and after giving Veronica one last look and a strong kiss, Keith turned his eyes to Logan, and stared at him strongly. "You'd better take care of her son" Keith warned needlessly.

Logan lost the smirk at his words, and he nodded firmly. "Always," He promised, making Keith nod.

He looked at Veronica again, and sighed before giving her to Logan.

Veronica's eyes were on her Dad as he walked to his place, and then once there, turned to her with proud eyes. She smiled at him before turning to Logan.

He spoke before her though. "Shall we do this?" There was that spark in his eye, and that boyish smile, and just about everything in him right then told Veronica this was the right thing to do.

"Yeah..." She answered softly as the two of them walked a few steps closer to the priest.

He was looking serious when Veronica looked up at him as he got ready to start, so instead of looking at him anymore, Veronica turned her head and looked back at the church full of people.

When did they meet so many people again? In the end however, her eyes landed solely on those she cared most. Elizabeth was on the front row by Keith smiling oh-so much. For a kid who hardly ever behaved at church, Elizabeth was sure doing a good job. Right beside them Alicia was holding Luke, and while still very much a sweet infant, Luke seemed quite intrigued by everything around him. He was looking steadily at the front of the church were his mom and dad were standing. Veronica tried to catch his eye, but…nah, too hard at seven months to make eye contact in the distance.

In any case, just as Veronica shared a look with some of her closest friends, Logan squeezed her hand, and she looked back to him. She smiled and squished her nose at him.

"I love you..." He whispered in a rather small voice, but still Veronica heard him.

She smiled, but then also shook her head. "Shush, you gotta save that for later," She lectured him playfully, making them both laugh ever so slightly

Apparently, they weren't as quiet as they thought though, since the priest was fast then to look pointedly at them, and shake his head.

Veronica laughed quietly looking down, and so did Logan. Well, it wouldn't be _their _wedding, if they didn't get in trouble with the priest somehow, right?

After a moment, when they both stopped laughing, and the priest was blessing the bible or something, Veronica turned to Logan, and whispered the four little words back. "I love you, too..."

They smiled at each other then, and shared a meaningful look as the priest started talking at last. "Dear beloved, we are gathered here today to..." This was it. It all sounded so clichéd and maybe it actually was but it also felt very _very_ right. She looked at Logan and he was smiling like a dork, his eyes darting between the priest and Veronica

That alone made her smile. But then she looked over at Elizabeth again and she was smiling too. Even Luke was smiling now too in Alicia's arms. Her father was smiling. Wallace. Mac. Heck, Dick was smiling. It was as if everybody had been waiting for that pair of dorks before them to do this for years and now that they finally were, it was a good thing

The greatest thing.

But then Veronica turned to Logan, and saw the way he was trying so hard not to laugh all of a sudden. "What?" She urged him as quietly as she could.

Logan in any case just shook his head and kept his eyes on the priest.

Veronica narrowed her eyes as she too turned to look at the priest. "What is it?" She asked again, and this time Logan couldn't keep the information for himself anymore.

"Doesn't he look indigested to you?"

"Wait, what?" Oh good Lord. "Logan!" Veronica told him as firmly _and _as quiet as she could. What was he thinking? "Are you crazy?" Well, of course he was, but this was a whole other level.

He pursed his lips keeping laughter at bay as the priest talked then about who knew what, but surely his red face seemed more interesting to Logan.

"Just look at him, V. Tell me I'm lying?" Logan told her then, his eyes on the priest, and a smirk on his face the second he was done talking. Logan then even nodded at the priest when he looked at Logan after saying something about having faith.

Against her better judgment, Veronica looked over at the priest, and then bit on her lip. "He looks more to me as if he's going to have a stroke." She told Logan trying oh-so hard not to laugh herself.

Logan on the other hand, wasn't as strong as she was, and he actually let out a small laugh at her words. The priest stopped talking suddenly then, and turned his eyes to Logan.

Needlessly to say Logan shut up as fast as he could, and then, once the priest was speaking again, he looked at Veronica with a tiny glare.

That only made her smile though. "You started it." She whispered with a shrug of her shoulders.

"But—" Logan tried, but Veronica stopped him.

"Stop it now. You don't want to get us kicked out of very our own wedding, now do you?" Veronica asked, looking at the priest as she smiled gracefully at him while he looked her way. As soon as the priest looked somewhere else though, she turned to see Logan's reaction quickly.

He was smirking

Great. That didn't scare him.

"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn…" He said with that precious smirk before intently pretending to hear the priest.

Veronica rolled her eyes as she also tried to hear what the priest was saying. She so couldn't help herself though; she had to tell him something back. Damn him! "Fasten your seatbelts ladies and gentleman; it's going to be a bumpy night." She laughed slightly, and so did Logan.

This time the priest was oblivious of their misbehave, and instead he just kept on talking.

The next time Veronica turned to look at Logan, he was still smiling, but he'd lost the smirk. "You thinking about me?" She whispered, and while he did smile and nod his head, he was serious somehow —as though he was thinking serious matters or something…

Logan still didn't let her in his thought for another moment. Instead, he reached out and took her hand into his. He then lifted it to his mouth and gave it a soft kiss.

Veronica tilted her head to the side and she smiled at him. "Go ahead; make my day…say something sweet?"

Logan held his eyes on hers for a while, before he spoke. "Not that sweet, but…you realize there is no turning back now…" Logan said quietly as the priest spoke away about love, and commitment, and family, and all that stuff.

Logan was right though…Veronica stared into his eyes steadily, before letting out a small breath… "Nope –no going back. This is forever buddy…" She whispered oh-so quietly, not really wanting to get in trouble again.

Her words made it to Logan just fine though, and he indeed was very glad to hear _her _saying that. "Yup…forever's right…" He echoed, and Veronica simply nodded.

Maybe it had been a choice they'd made all those years ago to be together, or maybe it was destiny, or someone somewhere had decided to two of them belonged together, but whatever might that be, Veronica knew it made her happy this was the way things turned out to be.

She had Logan, and he had her back—for like…forever. Suddenly _forever_ only seemed like a whole lot of fun to come…Oh yeah...

_~Fin~_

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**A****N : One last time with this story, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING! :)**


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